Speaker

The poem features two characters: the mirror (speaker) and the woman coming and going in its reflection. The mood and emotional state of the speaker, who makes an earnest attempt to present itself objectively at the outset, can be difficult to gauge. Is it judgmental? Is it mournful? Is it empathetic towards the woman? Is it neutral? All of these feelings are explored in the speaker’s tone, which evolves as the poem introduces the woman.

One possible reading is that the speaker simply functions as an observer. Straightforward phrases like “I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions” (1) and “I am not cruel, only truthful” (4) point towards a perspective of neutrality. The emphasis on objectivity and capturing the "truth" removes blame from the distress the woman feels when she looks in the mirror, and directs more focus on the woman.

On the other hand, the reader...