Sita Goetschius' Spoken Word

I tried.
I tried to conform to the constraining standards that are constantly forced before me

I tried to compromise
My individuality
To emulate the images encircling me

But I couldn't.
As hard as I tried,
I don't have it in me
To surrender myself to something surreal.

If you will excuse me,
But I like being my own person too much to be anything else.
I'm fine right here thank you,
The grass is plenty green on this side.

I tried to change
But once I started to see,
I backed out.
It didn't appeal

"Black your eyes everyday,
To look alive"
But all I saw was a zombie.

"Put this, and that
Into your hair to make it shiny, soft and sheen"
But all I felt was hard, sticky shit.

"Be this size, squeeze into these minuscule jeans
Fit for only those fabricated by fashion monsters"
But I all did was walk a little funny with my insides interpolated into me.

"Here, try this bra,
You'll look two times sexier"
But all I felt was unsexy plastic shoved in every which way.

I refuse, reject, repudiate these ridiculous requirements.

Confidence is my make up and hair.
Brains are my size
Individuality is what I do.

I tried to conform,
But my conscious took over.

Spoken word

Silicone bullets burst onto busts of a blossoming

generation

On their knees

Screaming, please, please, PLEASE

squeeze into these jeans.

Just one size smaller,

just one inch taller

Until we disappear,

and it's never clear

How to stop and say

NO

I won't be this way.