Beholder

Beholder

 

Nothing is beautiful in this world

It’s written in the tabloids

Cut into our skin

Rubbed into our wounds

So that no matter what, a mirror

Will always be whole shrapnel

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

It curses sight with blindness

And happiness with darkness

There is no fairytale ending

Because we are malformed and ugly

And covering ourselves with lies

 

There is no real beauty

It is a mask we wear

Something slim

And young

Smooth

Clear

 

Nobody wants to see our grinning skulls

Our open ribcages or bleeding limbs

This conspiracy shielding us from criticism

From living life and being ourselves

Underneath our layers of layers of layers

So we feel like we belong in this world

 

The here and the now is a painful reality

Because no matter what

We cannot please everybody

We cannot appeal to every taste and

Appearance so there will always

Always be someone to hate our being

 

Our perceived sense of beauty is

Nothing but a stereotype

It’s the way we should look

And the way we should act

But not who we are

Or what we do.

 

The world does not call

Our ragged eyes and crow’s feet

Beautiful nor our lined foreheads

Or heavy cheeks full of laughter

Or the broken smiles we open,

A thing to praise

 

Our thick bodies bow in shame

Tears ripped out

From our quivering resolve

And blasted by social media,

Our imperfections emblazoned on

Scarlet clothing as a reminder

 

There is no glory

For the calluses placed on our hands

The scars liberating our wrists

The wrinkles from our years

The hair protecting

The skin taut

 

It is our covering that keeps

Our insides from being exploited

And shown to the world

It is safe within

But so very dark

And hidden from critics

 

Because it is better to lie

And be accepted than

Admit our beauty is more

Than the advertisements

Preach

Because it is easier

 

To pretend that we are okay

And follow the beautiful ones

Because we need a Sheppard

Always have

So we keep to the masses

And pretend we are beautiful

 

Lost are the individuals,

Assimilating to what is necessary

Gone are the personal quirks

And wonderful traits

That make you

You.

 

Because we are all beautiful

Not by standards set by

Fashion models or heavy editing

 Not by the magazines or celebrities

It is deeper

And it is real

 

The twinkle in our eyes

The gleam of our smiles

The sincerity of all our actions

Is more beautiful

Than any thigh gap

Or size Zero waistline

 

Our beauty is profound

Because it will not age with time

It will not sag in defeat

It will not bend to other’s wills

Justly named, our

Beauty is on the inside

 

Love

Compassion

Spirit

Kindness

Strength

Ingenuity

 

Our beauty is measured

In all the ways that matter

The ways that aren’t accounted for;

We are beautiful

In our differences

And that isn’t wrong

 

There is nothing wrong with

Not fitting in a dress

Or wearing unusual things

There is nothing wrong

With loving yourself

Or being happy

 

This is my beautiful.

I may not look the part

Or have the walk

Sound like angels

Or feel this truth,

But I am beautiful

This poem is about: 
My community
My country
Our world

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