pretty

how does it feel

to wake up pretty

to simply let your hair down

apply a little makeup

and get the pretty privilege you’ve had

that i’ve never felt

to always be ready for a photo

even in the middle of the school day

to be ready to post to social media

to scour through hundreds of photos with that beautiful smile

and not because you can’t find a picture

that doesn’t make you look good enough 

to not ever have to worry 

about ‘compensating’ 

for your lack of beauty on the outside

by being nice to even those who don’t reciprocate it

because that’s all you think you’re worth

to friends

who will accept you with wider arms

to parents

who make a better effort to talk to you

to teachers

who try to give you a better smile

to get to complain 

about how ‘ugly’ you look

without seeming to come off 

as an attention seeker

to look in the mirror 

and scrutinize a pimple

instead of

e v e r y

a  t  o  m

that

makes

up

you