Pretty Hurts Poem by Dashaun Rashod Snipes

Pretty hurts, the saying goes
But do we truly know
The depth of pain it can bestow
On those who try to fit the mold
They say beauty is in the eye
But why does it make us cry
When we can't seem to measure up
To the standard they have set up
We're told to have flawless skin
And bodies that are thin
Our hair must be perfectly styled
And our looks must drive them wild
But at what cost do we pursue
This elusive vision of perfection
For every step we take towards it
We lose a piece of our reflection
The mirror, it becomes our foe
As we pick apart what we show
Our flaws magnified, our self-worth shattered
By a world that's obsessed with what's outwardly mattered
We spend countless hours and dollars
Trying to attain this elusive beauty
But at what point do we realize
That it's an unattainable duty
Pretty hurts, but it's not the pain
Of waxing, plucking, or dieting in vain
It's the soul that suffers the most
When we let society dictate our worth as a host
For true beauty lies within
In our kindness, our strength, our grin
It's the quirks and imperfections
That make us unique and worth affection
So let's break free from this cycle
Of trying to be someone we're not
For pretty only matters if it comes from within
A beauty that can't be bought
Pretty hurts, but it doesn't have to
If we learn to love ourselves true
For in our flaws, we find our strength
And that's a beauty that lasts at any length.

Authorship by Dr. Dashaun Snipes
©️ Dr. Dashaun Snipes
®️ Pretty Hurts