In the mirror, I’m almost him: The Rock
The man, unchanging
The Mountain, The Sky
Except:
the pale spindles of my two legs
these languishing pendulum arms
ragged hair and teeth, both well-water beige
and my name:
The Stuart doesn’t have the same ring
My trailer park room is too small for push-ups
and truth be told, so am I
I buy hope off YouTube, with summer money
The Jawzrsize—this I can do
In the mirror, my first workout
five minutes of clenching
and steely-eyed gazes can’t hurt
Seventeen and tomorrow is still like the sky
Is that a vein at my temple I see?
I raise a brow to the mirror
and turn off the light
Almost

Meagan Johanson is a writer from Oregon, where she lives with her family. She enjoys playing the piano, watching things grow, and sticking the landing on a new recipe. She is always seeking a new obsession, and has lived many exciting lives, at least in her imagination. Twitter: @MeaganJohanson.