Plastic Surgery

the t.v. says you’re ugly

the mirror changes its mood

advertisements on replay

imperfection is crude

smash open the piggy bank

every penny is worth the try

pick which knife you prefer

side effects include: living a lie

the bruises will spread far

the bandages will randomly leak

external injury to heal internally

but your self-esteem is weak

remove your mask at this date

frankenstein turned to bride

now you’re closer to the ad image

that part doesn’t need to hide

high like a kite for a little time

until another late night

sitting in front of the t.v.

your other flaws give you a fright

the mirror sneers like the devil

the cycle is getting tough

on a table beneath a blade again

now nothing is enough

Reviews

[Akash gaikwad]

I liked the poem !!!! I think we should boycott not only the manufacturers but also the chanells who support such ads. Your poem should be advertised instead.

[Kay]

Aw, thank you! =)

[Phill Oz O'fee]

Self-image these days is almost epidemic - your poem summarises the negative influences inflicted upon the more vulnerable. Sad but true scenario - bless :-)

[Kay]

That's a great way to phrase it, an epidemic. Thank you for reading! =)

[John the Baptist]

Nicely rhymed and makes a good point. I heard of one celebrity who reputedly had 700 plastic surgeries. As you note, weak self esteem and the relentless campaigns of the image makers are big factors in the popularity of the knife. Good work.

[Kay]

700 for one person? Wow, I thought the "real life" Barbie & Ken had a lot done. It's very sad to see this addiction develop. Ads just keep pushing and probing consumer insecurity and fabricating imperfection to make money on their cosmetic products. Thank you for the thoughtful review!

[Deep]

wow..great piece of work. While reading this my mind was constantly thinking of those fairness cream ads who states that using their product will make us good looking. And we accept it, "smash open the piggy bank/every penny is worth the try", to be become better, "frankenstein turned to bride". An eye-opening poem. Well done!
"the t.v. says you’re ugly
the mirror changes its mood"--my favorite.

[Kay]

That's very true, the industry spews false promises. There should be more education on how all this can have a detrimental effect, starting at a young age. People often aren't aware of the heavy amounts of makeup and photo-editing that goes on in advertising. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U
And thank you for your kind review! =)