Say Cheese

When you take a picture, do you fake a smile, or do you make sure it's genuine?

Smile for the photo!

My smile reaches my eyes,

Crinkling them.

Fake,

Fake,

Fake,

So

So

Fake.

I’m smiling and laughing,

Making you think

I’m not faking it,

When I really am.

Maybe,

Just maybe,

If you blew up a picture of me

Smiling,

You’d see the dry of my cheeks and the red in my eyes,

From crying

Myself

To sleep.

Author's Note

I'm not sure if I'm the only one with this problem. I'm pretty sure I am.

Reviews

[marah]

I believe this will connect to a wide audience simply because of how true it is. We live our life forced to take photos whether it be for holidays or just a school photo, we have to take photos. Many of which we are laughing in, but behind that smile you never know what someone is thinking and/or feeling. Are they depressed? Are they sad? Are there stressed? we have no clue because the smile is used in order to hide it all- the truth. That was my interpretation of what you did and it was powerful. Made me think about all the smiles I have faked and honestly the whole ideal of how smiles are used to program humans to hide their truth. Thank you

[A.G.]

Honest words and relatable. We all at some point fake a smile... sometimes it becomes a habit, because we are so used to not showing out true selves, our sadness and pain, afraid of being judged. I been through that. I loved it. I love every poem I read of yours because it's poetry I can relate to and understand. Very good 🙂 I look forward to reading more of your heart and your beautiful words.
-Angelina 🖤

[Trapped]

Thank you Angelina.
If we fake a smile by habit, how can we really have a genuine smile?
read moreThank you Angelina.
If we fake a smile by habit, how can we really have a genuine smile?
Aren't they one in the same?
- Trapped