My hair is in knots when I wake up in the morning

My head isn’t always tilted to the right trying to find my light

My lips aren’t red until I decide to paint them with the blood of superficiality

My skin isn’t flawless because it houses battle scars from living under the scrutiny of the media

My cheeks are aren’t the desired tone of pink because they’re flushed with the need to breathe

 

There are bags under my eyes from staying awake at night and thinking about my future

Thinking about the endless responsibilities that fall upon my shoulders

Wondering whether I’ll have enough money to return to school next year

The beating heart inside my chest threating to stop every time I think of failure

The voices in my head telling me to work my way to the top

While the voices in the comment section tell me to post another selfie

 

I’ll brush my hair and wish my life untangled the same way

I’ll look for the right shade of lipstick to cover my naked lips

I’ll layer on the foundation to hide every dark spot and imperfection

I’ll try to draw the perfect wings on the corner of my eyes and pretend that’s my biggest problem

Society has a hodgepodge of necessities to look beautiful and I’m trying to keep count

Now I’m drowning in the impossible standards that come with perfection

But I’ll hide my desperation and frustrations behind a smile

Because no one wants to see the worn down, sleep deprived, complex, and real person that I am

I’ll hide behind the lights and cameras I promise to find the right filter

One that covers the nitty-gritty tones of reality

With the skewed perceptions of what makes a beautiful picture