I Am
Location
I am smiling too wide,
I am looking too directly at the photo lens
Click. Click.
I tilt my head just a little bit further and I will feel pretty
Click. Click.
Too bright. Delete. Too shiny. Delete
These pictures are just representations of myself,
This is not the real me this is not who I am
I am strong like the women of my bloodline who fought to bring me here
I am smart like my father who reads words sucking them into his brain as if he can make up for his mistakes
I am beautiful just like the flowers my grandmother planted in my front yard she is gone yet they remain.
These pictures,
These filters,
Hide who I am, they try to mask me to make me something else
But I will not allow this,
I will stand strong in front of my mirror,no filter allowed
I will smile my crooked smile,
Run my hands through my wild hair,
Let my stomach be larger than society says it should.
I am me and this is a beautiful thing to be.