I only have one shot at this,

So I want to do it right.

How does one take a selfie,

Depicting an authentic sight?

Step one is to wash off my entire make up,

And to brush through all my hair.

For I know I have natural beauty,

Something that I should be happy to share.

Now I have to do this carefully,

Here is step number two.

Which is to smile bright into the camera,

Being ‘the real you’.

Now I look at the picture I have taken,

And admire what I see.

For this is who I am,

Someone I should be happy to be.

My brown eyes are shining,

Just as or even better than they would,

If I was wearing make up,

And added a filter or two.

My face is not covered in make up,

Therefore all my flaws and facial blemishes are in plain sight.

Acne and marks on my skin,

Appear on my face in the light.

My hair flowing completely free.

I took the selfie according to plan.

No angles and filters needed to show the real me,

For none of those really can.

So here I look at the selfie I took,

And I ponder on what it really shows,

  A side of me that I usually keep hidden,

Someone no one really knows.