I Am Not Myself Today

I take hot metal and burn my hair

Running it through piece by piece

Transforming each curly unruly hair

Making it look perfectly straight

I look over my naked body

Searching for misplaced rebel hairs

Poking through my perfectly smooth skin

They’re plucked leaving me soft and red

I watch the way my body moves

Thighs swaying on their own accord

Folds of fat forming as I bend

Duct tape puts me down to size

I scrutinize every inch of my face

The nose that’s slightly too wide

The blemishes scattered here and there

Make up covers every imperfection

I work until I am perfect and ready

Revealing myself to an honest spectator

It mimics the image of a perfect girl

Until I look into my eyes and see

I am not myself today

Could I even recognize her?