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Perfection Underneath Imperfections
Perfection-
Flawless, not a fault in sight.
A word reserved only for those
With a mask as a face.
Straightened hair,
Make-up covering every square inch,
Skinny, petite body.
An enemy of many teenaged girls.
It always seems to get the best of them.
Those who cannot reach its prestigious standards
Will suffer.
While those who hide their true selves
Will flourish
And reach the top
Without a scratch.
Underneath-
A second layer
Just below the surface,
Concealed by a power
That wishes to be viewed as superior.
Most cannot see what lies
Underneath it all;
For it is trapped by the body,
The body of lies,
The artificial, shielded body.
When the skin on the outside
Fails to be soft and smooth
Like an angel's,
The beauty on the inside
Tries to shine through.
Unfortunately, society warns us
That this may fail.
Imperfections-
Faulty, blemished, undesired features.
Scratches, bumps,
Bruises and grooves.
Creeping up on you
Like a shadow in the dark.
Mocking your weaknesses.
Pervading the surface.
Stomping on it,
And planting these mistakes.
But what if
Society saw these as unique,
Beautiful,
Things that make us ourselves?
If we wore these imperfections with confidence
And showcased to the world
Crooked toothed smiles,
Chipped fingernails,
Pimply faces,
And birthmarks,
Oh, how different a world it would be.
The shattered mirror of individuality,
Now only a reflection of deception,
Could finally be restored.
The pieces glued together
In an imperfect manner,
Yet beautiful just the same.
I was inspired to write this piece by an assignment on constructing a three-word poem given by my English teacher. In the world around me, I have noticed that judgements are based on appearances rather than the beauty that lies deep within. Therefore, I created a poem about this social issue, and I believe it accurately captures how imperfections make us unique. I hope this poem evokes strong emotions from readers and helps them question why society is the way it is. I also want it to give them self-confidence and strength to stand up, make a change, and above all, contribute to making the world a better place.