I

I tried to express myself through scratches and
Scars
Bumps and bruises
A tangle of faded t shirts and
Ripped denim skirts
Proclaiming to the world
That I
Was tough
Hair in a ponytail I raced up the hill
Climbed the tree and
Fell down
Mud
On my
Face
I grit my teeth
Blood
On my skin
Proving to my friends that I
Could be
Tough

II

A few years later I
Asked for bangs
Curled my
Hair
Begged for makeup and
Painted my nails
I wore loads of
Jewelry
Expressing myself through colors
Rainbows in my
Outfits
Glitter on my
Cheeks
My high heels were my
Wardrobe staple
But I
Blushed
At the attention
Proving to the world that I
Was indeed
Beautiful

III

Then I took off the makeup and stopped
Trying to “do” my hair
Calmed my colors
Down
Scorned to paint my
Nails and
Basked
In sweet simplicity
Prideful in my
Perfection
So even though they didn’t notice my
Face
I reveled inwardly
I had proven to myself that
I was all-
Natural

IV

Then I got my makeup back
Out
I wore my
Red
Dress and painted
My nails
I looked above and found my beauty
There
And from above I sensed it
Within
So the enhanced cheekbones and
Colored fingertips
Are an
Expression
Of my metamorphosis
From
Self-sustaining
To a quiet dignity
Outlining and underlying
Because beauty within
Doesn’t need
To be shouted
Out
Nor does it need
To be
Smothered by false
Perfection
For God sees the heart
Before a display of acne
Or
A grungy shirt
Or
A glittered grin
He sees a soft heart and
Loving hands
And so I choose to
Accentuate those things
Tastefully
And with
Grace
Resting in the fact that
Because
I am loved
I am now
Lovely