Someone I'm Not--A Poem

Instructions

You look at yourself in the mirror Unacceptable No one can see you like this at school You quickly rush to your closet Changing into the uncomfortable crop top And the jeans everyone pretends are expensive Then you squeeze your feet into those tiny Converse That you can't stand to wear every day But you don't want to be the laughing stock Of the entire school You don't want to be judged Then you pick up the curler And twist your hair into waves The ones that girls at your school naturally have Instead of the way your hair that hangs straight and flat Right over your shoulder Then your makeup It makes you look like anyone but yourself Longer lashes Artificial blush Anything to prevent notice of your dark circles From scrolling on social media and crying Because you don't feel like you're good enough Even at midnight. Good grades = Nerd So you must act a fool Act like you don't know anything You're "pretty", not smart Like the rest of them Even though when you look in the mirror It's anyone but 'yourself' So "she's" pretty But "she's" not you Because you're not good enough Flunk your tests Quizzes Midterms Finals All gone to waste And go get coffee afterwards When you go to school You hang out with your so-called "friends" You don't even /like/ them They're toxic sometimes To you and others around you But you can't sit at lunch or hang out with the weird kids The ones who don't try to stay in line The ones who don't care about being pretty Absurd, they are Besides Your friend group is your status And you can't sink as low as sitting with the weirdos Obviously. Why do you try so hard to fit in? Why do you try so hard to stay in line? Why are you never good enough for yourself? Why can't you just...be you? Stop pretending to be someone you're not I know you go around thinking, "I wish I was like her..." But people go around wishing they were like /you/ And unless you want to mislead them Make them think you're someone you're not Then be yourself Don't endlessly cover yourself up with the standards Break them You may think you're stuck in chains But all you need to do is move your wrists a little Because those chains aren't as tight as you think they are And how do you do break out entirely? Start with getting rid of that unnatural makeup If you like makeup, do it the way /you/ want Wear whatever clothes /you/ like Wear any shoes /you/ want It's all up to /you/ It's your choice who you want to be Don't be afraid of the standards Don't pretend to be someone you're not And then You'll shine so bright The standards Will be afraid Of you