Beauty

by Courtney   Jun 7, 2016


There I stood,

entranced in the mirror.

Their perception of beauty,

my imperfections, my greatest fear.

I removed my clothes,

let down my hair.

gazing at my body,

brings great despair.

The world appears in my mirror,

gorgeous women who starts to speak.

"You could be beautiful,

just a few things to tweak."

I looked at the world,

the beauty she was.

she studied my face,

then looked to my bust.

"Let's start with the basics!"

She came through the glass,

standing beside me,

"it's time at last!"

She pulled out a knife,

cutting off half my waist.

as I started to cry she shushed,

"no fat! Not one trace!"

She grabbed the excess,

and put it in my chest.

puts her hands to her hips,

winking, "I'm impressed!"

She worked down my legs,

trimming them down too.

They became so small,

Who am I now...who?

I looked at the world,

and she began to change.

not beauty like before,

but becoming strange.

She came to my face,

a smile from her lips.

"Got to shape those cheeks,

like we did your hips!"

She was smearing on makeup,

and lengthening my hair.

she had me close my eyes,

"Wait right there."

You're almost ready,"

said the world, "now you belong."

I opened my eyes,

"No," I cried, "this is wrong."

Who was I now?

My body fragile and small.

"is this me?

I didn't recognize at all.

I stood there,

the world by my side.

Bringing my hands to my face,

and beginning to cry.

I looked at the world,

we both looked fake.

but she still smiled,

admiring this mistake.

As we looked in the mirror,

we bean to grow old.

buying into the lie,

the world cleverly sold.

and I bought it,

it led to my demise.

what people don't know,

the world is the devils disguise.

As we withered away,

we began to die.

"I see the cost of beauty now,

it's an unaffordable lie."

8


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Latest Comments

  • 8 years ago

    by Meena Krish

    Judging Comment

    Reality been put out, attacked and shaped to
    behold the eyes of society forgetting the individual
    and her feelings; making her worthless and not
    appreciated unless she is shaped to the way of the
    society! It's a sad fact which everyone goes
    through and everyone fails to see the person for
    who she is rather they all take a go and try and
    beautify her to their ways.

    The imagery is so dark and cruel and it hurts just
    to read it. The part that stood out for me was the
    image of the self emerging from the mirror and
    slicing away/molding the woman and the
    descriptions is crystal-clear it made me cringe,
    it made me angry that society still has the power
    to put down an individual and to drive that person
    to madness! An aching reality it hurts to read...

    • 8 years ago

      by Courtney

      Thanks so much for reading. That is true for sure. We look up to unrealistic looking people and it hurts. I wrote this when I was getting ready to sign a modeling contract with a very well known fashion company. And the things they wanted me to change were not worth it. It's painful that we are not enough as is. Thanks for the read and wonderful comment!

  • 8 years ago

    by Jyoti Rawat

    Nice interpretation about the fake world.
    the world always put us in comparison.
    and the fact is we are always unique.

    Good Work.

  • 8 years ago

    by Milly Hayward

    Incredible portrayal of the price of vanity and the weather of time. Really enjoyable read. I don't think there is a woman out there who hasn't wanted to change something about herself. Milly x

  • 8 years ago

    by Liz

    Wow. This is definitely very powerful. Something many of us can relate to in one way or another.

    Welcome to P&Q!

  • 8 years ago

    by Courtney

    Thanks for all your comments everyone!