Images Poem by Abdalla Juma Shenga

Images!
That have been painted,
For us to see.

Images!
That are showing us,
Who to be.

Images!
That have been planted,
For us grow up and be,
And they are supposed,
To make us happy;
Make us fit in,
Uniform us,
And teach us what is ideal.

Images!
To make us unreal.

Images!
To hide what's within.

Images!
To silence you,
And kill the you in you.

Images!
Say you have to have;
A six pack to be cool,
And your tough curly hair,
Is not fit to wear.

Images!
To clothe you in nakedness.

Images!
To compete and compare,
Who among us is picture perfect,
Everyone is unique-
The deferences make us we.

Images!
These fake versions on screens,
That we aspire to be,
Are fantastic depictions,
A mirage we keep chasing,
And never catch up to be.

Images!
Turn your life to a race,
So you keep chasing the trends,
But take a moment to reflect,
Before you change your original self,
Character and values,
Because the butt that boosted,
Was not meant to comfort your sitting,
And the skin you bleached;
Is not for cheating the mirror.

Images!
Are for pleasing others,
While we dwell in hazards,
Of poisonous injections, chemicals,
And painful procedures.

Images!
Go ahead and make your own,
No edit no copy paste,
Live life at your pace,
Make selections in your taste,
Set yourself apart from the rest,
Be the best you can be!