Gloss it Over
She likes to look in the mirror and smile
Examine herself
Every little line, every little crease
Gloss it over
There is no room for cracks, for stains
No room for the feelings she doesn’t feel
It is easier to make your face a mask
To hide behind yourself
There are no tears or disappointments
No anger or pain
“Who me?” she’ll ask, lips pulled up
Indefectible charm
I watch her
Patch the chinks, the fissures
Paint an immaculate mien for everyone to see
Put on a coat of glinting polish
Because maybe it’s easier to hide from everyone else
When you’re hiding from yourself
So I look at myself, splintered fragments and all
And I gloss it over
About the Author: Keya M. is a high school student at Emma Willard School in New York. She is a Regional Spelling Bee Finalist and has been published in Trailblazer Literary Magazine, Cathartic Lit Magazine and Teen Ink.
