Real Mannequin

More, it says. 
Posture straight, hair curled, eyebrows plucked, 
You are a piece of art! 
More, More, it says.
Teeth burning white, lips bloody red, nails buffed – clean with color,
Don’t disgrace! 
More, More, More paint, it says.
Thin not thick, smooth not rough, head up, head up, 
Cover it up! Hide it! 
More, More, More paint, More shine, it says.
Stretch the lips, show some teeth, show it like you mean it, smile,
Appearance is perfection! Don’t disappoint! Be wanted be all! 
More, More, More paint, More shine, More fake, it says.
Be not what you want but what they want, be the expectation and excel it, 
Be more than good enough! Be better than them! Forget the inner you, Embrace the outer you. 
Embrace it! Work it! Love it! 
More, More, More, MORE! Is what you want. Is what I give. Is what makes me the person behind the mirror. A victim of my own reflection. 
A shadow is what I am now. Your shadow. I peeled off my own skin and person and replaced it with someone else. 
It’s too late.
The new skin is glued too deep. Deep into the person I used to be, the person from birth, the person that is nonexistent. 
Who am I? Who am I really? The real and true me? 
I don’t know. 
I never met her. 
 

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