Makeup
i. Foundation
Layers, cracking:
You will get good grades
get into a prestigious university
Bachelors
get a masters, maybe a PhD
You must become a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer
or what am I going to tell Jason-who-went-to-Harvard’s mom?
that my daughter chose to be a nurse instead?
Your foundation lies in that you work hard
so your parents’ immigration to the States
won’t have been wasted
on a daughter
(even if it was their choice)
ii. Concealer
Violet lethargy blooms under tired eyes
All nighters in exchange for a 4.0 GPA
Three hours of sleep so you pop adderall
(is it worth it? Yes.)
What’s the use of taking Biology if you can’t fix your body?
To conceal. At least when you’re studying you can’t think too hard
about the bumps blemishing your forehead , breakouts
from Monster energy drinks and black coffee
One meal a day
If you don’t get into college you’re worth nothing, you know?
I know.
Tears—heaven’s rain—dampen your cheeks
So you cover them up with concealer two shades lighter
than your skin
will seem healthy, glow—
You study.
iii. Eyeliner
Eyeliner changes everything, you’ve heard
If eyes are windows to the soul then maybe you should at least make yours pretty.
Your eyes tell the truth, scream!
With eyeliner maybe you’ll no longer have
your mother’s almond-shaped eyes
if you line them dark enough
maybe you’ll be able to make friends
that aren’t from China and don’t assume you speak broken English
even though you’ve won writing awards
And kids at school won’t pull their eyes into slits and stick their tongues out,
Maybe.
iv. Blush
Pale pink chrysanthemum petals
Champagne infused cheeks
Felicity layered on enough it won’t seem like you’re yellow everywhere;
that you do have colour, aurora
—that you are Pretty.
Butterfly wings flutter in spring
bubbly with laughter
and the picture is idyllically beautiful
(or is it?)
v. Lipstick
Vermillion shades illusion
mixed with sanguine opulence
Persephone’s pomegranate seeds stain, red
Bold, Alluring. demure
Speak up. Speak louder. We can’t hear you.
okay.
Lips too thin, small, cupid’s bow? No.
Overline them. And fill in the gaps
with scarlet crayon.
So you will be able to better communicate—
Stand straight.
vi. Smile
The last and most important step of makeup
is to wear a smile
Not too big so that too much of your teeth show too much
Just a little…perfect! Be (un)natural.
Confidence, they say, is key
Wear one for others if nothing else
But your smile is a mask
and no matter how hard you try
Masks shatter too
You are lost without one
Naked
What are you doing?
Don’t let the tears fall or it’ll ruin your hard work!
S M I L E
Keep your mask on even as the layers threaten to crack.