Face painted with shades
Makeup various in tones and hues
Your face themed in diversity
Often like warm sunsets of gold
Or with the shades of midnight
I saw you, concealed with glamour

Your figure dressed sumptuous for guise
In tux-suits, silk cuffs and dress shoes
Tresses fashioned simply to envy
Not a single imperfection on display
In dressing, makeup and looks
I saw you, concealed with glamour

Your dainty and painted self suddenly
Was purely wiped clean of colours
The blends of sunset or midnight blues
Now, with constellations of acne across your jaw
Dressed in simplicity, cotton cheap clothes
Hair matted with sweat on your temples
Your face now completely bare in form
Lacking glamour, all imperfections on display
I saw you, now exposed of your true-self
that I adore, more than any side of you

i wear my religion like i wear my makeup.

i put it on when i’m suppose to.

my face shines with the highlight
of the Holy Spirit on my cheekbones.

lipstick stains a bible verse which
i use for every circumstance
“God” throws at me.

i line my eyes with the blackness
of my heart and i let “God” flick it
out into a wing at the end.

after awhile though my skin
grows weary and itchy.

i can feel every pound of makeup
that cakes my face.

a single wet wipe no longer
works to dislodge the
uncomfortableness
in my pores.

i bathe in rose-scented oils
and steam my face
ritually.

everything is off.
my flaws are showing.

makeup use to be fun
when i wasn’t wearing it
for other people.

now social media lets me know
that i must contour my cheeks
with a prayer that starts with,
“dear lord,” and ends
with, “amen.”

in order to be in my family’s good
graces i must have faith in
myself but
mustn’t be prideful.

you must not use a mirror to put your makeup on.

your eyebrows should be
arched and ready to
defend,
not yourself,
but “God”
if questioned.

when you find a boy
who says he likes makeup
you must not pursue him.

he is not worthy of your highlighted face.

love yourself but
also put your
makeup first.

sculpt the nose
define the face
overline the lips.

do all that you can
to hide your real face.

make your skin scream
to be let free.

and when you take
your makeup off,
make sure to
moisturize
because your skin
has to look great when
it is drowning in
foundation.

take care of your skin
but it also doesn’t matter
so paint your face once more.

bat your eyes.
pout your lips.

but don’t be lustful.

because your religion is like your makeup...

so cake it on like a fake facade.