How I See



This cruel world we live in, you need be wise
They speak of "beauty" but don't be surprised
To find it's all founded by the "father of lies"

They'll tell you that your skin is too white
So strap yourself down under some ultra violet light

Your hair is too oily, or snarly, or dry
So there's a dozen products you'll for sure have to buy

Your hips are too wide, you have "thunder thighs"
But with one small procedure it'll all be disguised

Your lips are too small and your chest is too flat
Yet Botox and implants will easily fix that

Now if you look too common and want to be "your own you"
Just add a few piercings and some gnarly tattoos

If after all these touch-ups you still look fat
Try a new diet, 90 days will solve that

NOW, PLEASE

Don't listen to this madness, disregard all the chatter
Take some time to think about what really matters

The solution to this vanity appears easy to me
Stop changing how you look, start changing how you see


Ben Arkell
June 2010

5 comments:

  1. ooh ooh, I like I like! Now how do I change how I see?

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  2. Nice work Ben. Do you ever submit your poems to magazines or other places to try and get them published? If not, you should.

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  3. Yeah....can you answer Trista's question for all of us? I love the Rockwall painting. Good reminder especially on a day that I don't feel like my skin can expand any further and I am tired of looking at stretch marks.

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  4. I wish I had a good answer for Trista's question. I don't. Partial answer is this...if we would stop consuming media that promotes this image of beauty, whatever that may be, we would have a different perspective on it. I had a history teacher in high school who was a larger woman who resembled Ursula from "The Little Mermaid". I remember her mentioning to us that during the Greek period she would have been considered very desirable and beautiful. We can't accept ourselves and be content with our bodies until we stop consuming lie after lie after lie through what we say,see,hear. That's a partial answer, but there's obviously more too it.

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  5. extremely well put little brother!

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