Desperate Perfection

• Ciara Hadley, Grade 10, O'Connor Catholic College
• Poetry
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'Write As Rain 2014' competition

She was plastic and fake and cold to the core,
She had money and looks but just wanted more,
But she hated the face that was her reflection,
So she plastered herself in desperate perfection.

Too tired of what was perceived as uncool,
She did what the girls all did at school,
She hid behind an almost carrot complexion,
Which screamed to the world of desperate perfection.

And all night she would cry mascara tears,
Stains on her pillow enhancing her fears,
She imagined the makeup served as protection,
As if she could hide behind the desperate perfection.

She stayed plastic and fake and cold to the core,
She lost money and looks and never got more,
Because there was always one thing she wouldn't mention,
That she was drowning behind her desperate perfection.