Eyes of a Porcelain Doll

Society judges what's on the outside and has a precieved notion of what beauty is. In an attempt to conform to its expectations what do we lose of ourselves in the process?

Eyes of a Porcelain Doll 

By 

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

“Beauty is not who you are on the outside, it is the wisdom and time you gave away to save another struggling soul like you.”

― Shannon L. Alder

When does fantasy 

Define reality

When perfect symmetry 

Equates anatomy 

We have heard all the aphorisms that beauty has inspired 

From long dead poets and well known liars.

Gone is the allurement of imperfections born

Reviled and maligned by society in scorn

Ugliness is a choice a refrain they often use

It plays into the mind and the body we abuse

Do not allow contentment to reside in the eyes of those

Who'd criticize and belittle the things they do not know

For flesh is simply flesh; a prisoner to exploitation 

Endemic to conformity in vanity's desperation 

For sublime and utter perfection what is mortal cost

To attain the body of a doll but in your soul be lost.

Author's Note

My muse waxed poetically about societal views of Beauty and the absurd lengths it drives a woman to seek and attain it. All this while being waxed and primped and having having my nails done. My muse Cate doesn't need that she is perfect the way she is. But I on the other hand have to look good for her. Yes, I'm a hypocrite but she inspires me in both the bad and the good. Best advice I ever heard? Don't allow others to define your happiness because you will waste your life trying to live up to everyone's expectations. Be beautiful in the you that you are.

Reviews

[Cyprian Van Dyke]

This poem of yours is full of meaning and I really enjoyed the educational words you used to explain such importance in a poetic way. Wonderfully explained and expressed. Tyfs

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Cyprian for the kind comment on this piece. I truly appreciate it.

[K writes]

We have heard all the aphorisms that beauty has inspired
From long dead poets and well known liars.

I really like this write, and these lines right here, This write holds so much truth. Nicely said and written

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you for your thoughts on this poem. When I submitted this poem here I wasn't sure if anyone would even read it let alone comment on its dark serious theme. I'm so very appreciative to everyone who has taken the time to read this poem. It really has touched me to know some have taken this poem to heart and thought deeply of its meaning. Thus is the power of writing and art. Thank you so very much for your comment on this piece.

[Kathy Mc Cathy]

What you say is absolutely right , but its the mindset that has to change , when the society changes , people will feel comfortable to show their true selves not lurk in the shadows or absolutely become someone ur not . The society and the individual has to change , My grandma says , that when people are born , they don't have any makeup or anything but the first word that comes out of their mouth is " you look beautiful " .. the natural beauty is to be apprecited , plastered one is concealing beauty not enhancing it .

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Your grandma is right. We need to start a dialogue as a society about what we are spreading on social media because it really is damaging young girls minds with a pernicious and vile sense of what is perfect and beautiful in unattainable standards set for females. When role models are the Kardashians and Jenner sisters then we have a problem because most of them are fake with lots of plastic surgeries. Yet people believe falsely they are perfect examples of natural beauty when they absolutely are not. And they themselves perpetrate this by lying about not having gotten plastic surgery. This poem was inspired by a girl who had multiple plastic surgeries to look like a barbie doll. In one of her pics her eyes looked empty of life. Like a Porcelain Doll. What happens to a person's mind when the go to the extreme to change their body because of what they see on TV and media? Because they want to look like that perfect girl on a screen or pic. No one says anything about men having to be perfect like that. Yet women of all ages are expected to be perfect and beautiful. We are just an awful society for doing that to females. It is very tragic. And I feel strongly about it because of a friend who is almost 60 who wants to go through plastic surgery because of what she sees in society and the expectation demanded to look beautiful even at her age. I can't even begin to imagine what it is like being a woman in this day and age. But from what I see it just breaks my heart because no female should ever feel ugly that they feel the need to get surgeries to change everything about themselves. Sorry for the long rant I just feel strongly about this subject.

[Kathy Mc Cathy]

Ranting bout something true is something I appreciate , It gives me more insight bout your thoughts which i absolutely agree to ... They say word is the powerful sword when wielded right .. Your words will truly make an powerful impression on the reader

[mattavelli]

Hello, Carlos! :)
As an extremely attractive man, who has no interests rivaling my admiration of the graceful female, I find your point well made and accurate. worship is disgusting behavior, and all the effort people put into it can leave them with little else than the shame it nurtures. Thanks for sharing.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Matt it is always good hearing from you. You're one of the kindest and encouraging souls here in the community. And a talented poet as well. Though I will keep that on the down low so that you retain some humbleness. Haha. My last couple of submissions have been very serious in tone and topic. Hopefully this week I can submit more pithy fluff on this Halloween week that is just around the corner. To be honest this is actually my favorite time of year. So light hearted spooky stuff to balance out the writing mind. Thank you again for the kind words and I hope all is going well for you and your family my friend.

[mattavelli]

It's my favorite time of year too. There's poetry riding those first cool breezes of autumn. :)

[poetgurl (Plainly Meg)]

Media does most of our talking and doesn't care what we have to say. Nicely said the way you put it

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

It is truly horrible what women have to endure in this society. Not just being marginalized but also expected to meet unattainable ideologies of beauty and perfection. We are destroying the lives of young women with these impossible standards. This was inspired by a picture of a young woman who had multiple surgeries to look perfect like a barbie doll because that was what was demanded by society in order to be a perfect beauty. Her eyes looked empty like a Porcelain Doll. We must change and be better than this. No woman should ever feel she is not beautiful just the way she is.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

In line six, I read that as "Liars"---
Society puts too much emphasis and pressure on looks...that is crazy.
What is inside is what defines beauty...
a poem that needs to be read.
j.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you J for your thoughts on this piece. The "liers" would be those in both media and social media that propagate a false idea of what defines beauty and perfection in womanhood. Those that place impossible standards and expectations on women. Much like the Kardashians who have bought their so called perfect bodies through plastic surgeries while claiming falsely it's nature in order to sell their cosmetics to impressionable young women. This write was inspired by a picture of a young woman who went through multiple surgeries in order to look like a living barbie doll. Her eyes looked empty and devoid of life like a Porcelain Doll. It was haunting to say the least and truly spoke ill of our faux vanity as a society. It is a destructive ideology that the current and future generations will have to deal with unfortunately. Thank you again my friend for your thoughts.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Right but the spelling should be "Liars" rather than "Liers"---

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Omg thank you for picking that up. Damn spell checker on this tablet and these glasses don't help me much either. Fixing it as we speak. Thank you so much again.

[Chris Shaw]

Media in all its forms has much to answer for. I have a granddaughter of 20 who is beautiful both in a natural way and her living heart. But like so many young women these days, she only finds the faults in herself. She can not see beyond her perceived faults. A constant diet of making her feel worthless in comparison to the few on the pedestal. I find it sad but also shows how unhealthy social media platforms and media in general can be. Parents have a hard job these days trying to instill confidence in their kids. A topical and very necessary write Carlos.

Chris

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Chris I totally agree with you. Social media is absolutely toxic especially to young women in today's world. I'm so sorry your granddaughter has to deal with this kind of garbage. It's absolutely repugnant the way people are on Social media trying to make women feel insecure and being so judgemental to their appearance. It is such a toxic environment we live in nowadays. It needs to change because too many young girls are hurting themselves by trying to achieve a particular idea of what defines beauty and perfection by today's standards. There wasthis one young girl who had under gone extreme plastic surgeries in order to look like a barbie doll. Her eyes looked devoid of life and she had ruined her own natural beauty. By propagating these unattainable standards many female lives are being destroyed and lost. This attitude toward women needs to change.

[Fran Marie]

We live in a very vain society these days
with plastic surgery..diet fads ..cosmetics
creams..you name it Its out there and those
gullible enough to spend their bucks on
a quick fix to look good..i agree just be happy
the way you are..put on sunglasses and hat
and go out and have fun..life is too short to.waste
time worrying about your looks..nice work

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Exactly Fran I totally agree with you. It's such a shame women are not afforded the same luxury to age gracefully as men. They are expected to retain the same beauty and body as they had in their 20s. And those in their 20s and younger are expected to look like living barbie dolls. What a horribly vain society women are forced to live in now a days. I had a friend nearing her 60s in tears because she feels forced to have surgery to lose weight and is afraid of the excess skin. And the sad part is she is not heavy or over weight at all. But again because how media and also social media demand women look a particular way regardless of age. It is abhorrent and disgusting the way women are treated in this society.

[Dylan Macadham]

An intriguing offering, Carlos, I read it 3X to get the most from it :)
Beautiful and Handsome are admired as though virtues attained, not accidents of birth,
yet they draw our eyes, and we can't turn away.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Dylan for your thoughts on this poem. I recently saw this picture of this young lady who turned herself into a living barbie doll. Her eyes had this blank dead stare to them. Many commented how perfect she looked in features, dress, and weight. We have always had this issue as a society on what defines beauty and perfection. But since the advent of social media it has only made things even worse. When the example to our youth is Kylie Jenner who had gone through multiple plastic surgeries before she had turned 18 is what beauty is then we have problems. We really need some self reflection as a society. Placing unattainable standards on women to achieve beauty and perfection is absolutely abhorrent. Not to mention the effect it has on young girls as well. I would hate to be a parent to young females in these vile times. I can't imagine the garbage they have to deal with in this age of social media. And the standards of perfection placed upon them by this society.

[Dylan Macadham]

I agree, Carlos, yet ask most anyone if they'd rather turns heads or be smart ... then add Why'd you hesitate before saying "smart?" :D

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Hahaha I'm definitely going to borrow that funny line of yours. I couldn't stop laughing because there is a lot of truth in that statement.

[Dylan Macadham]

haha ... What's line (mine) is yours :)

[Shelley Warner]

Yes, we think beauty is flawless perfection. Reminds me of a recent conversation. I told John "Before I let you go to sleep, you need to tell me two things you like about me." One of his answers was: "I think you're cute." Me? Cute? But I'm a little overweight, I thought. But in his eyes, I didn't need flawless beauty.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Well his lips may have said cute but I'm quite positive his heart meant flawless beauty. Men tend to down play their affections at time for fear of sounding to sappy or maudlin. Also if we say "beautiful" one to many times to the one we love it may lessen the value of the word in their eyes, Society as a whole has truly placed undeserved pressure upon women to live up to its idea of beauty. More is demanded of them than ever has been asked of men. It's truly a shame young girls can't just grow up normally without feeling such pressure being placed upon them by a superficial ideology in our culture. To me it is wrong to expect females to weigh, dress, and look a particular way because it's what we view as beautiful and perfect. We as men are never asked to be held to the same standards. Sorry about my rant it just irks me to see young girls turning themselves into living barbie dolls with soulless eyes. Because of the false ideas being fed into their impressionable minds.