Beneath The Facade Poem by Nigel Ndlovu Stephen

Who are you when you're all alone
When the weave is off your head and hung on the hanger.
Foundations of make up are down the drain,
And you're Stuck with the blemishes
Fattening pimples
Too deep dimples
Reality on the mirror,
You face it with your tear glands spilling.
God willing
You wallow in melancholy for a face shiny as a shilling.
Who are you then when your face is bare and the imperfections are showing.

Stripped naked of your bling and blinding fake lashes.
Free from the face drawings and horse tail flashes
Liberated from imprisonment by cosmetic dusty slow killers.
Face to face with the rebellious afro screaming weaves must fall.
And the skin pores chanting"grant usfreedom to breath.
And your skin crying we're tired of being squeezed
Who are you then, who are you when your body is against "beauty and pain"

Who are you without the camouflage of bright colored dresses.
Figure revealing jegins
Thigh exposing pencil skirts
Body hugging jump suits
Who are you then? Who are you without your sexual power.

Who are you without the world to impress
Nor Enhanced lips to mess
Neither the deceitful smile of non existent perfection you try to express.
The overly rehearsed confidence
The fake accent you picked up from tv
The absence of guys to flirt with
And 'low lives' to diss
Nor the hash tags to dish
Who are you then?

Who are you without your fancy irrelevant phone,
Who are you without your Instagram account nor your Twitter handle.
Who are you without the likes and meaningless comments of the strangers and secret admirers to lure you for a dose of nudes.
Who are you without the world's attention you so much crave.
What will you be without a single like on your "sexy photo"
Whom will you be then? Who are you without the unknown countless electronic "friends"

NGL ®