Eyes of a Porcelain Doll

Society judges what's on the outside and has a precieved notion of what beauty is. In an attempt to conform to its expectations what do we lose of ourselves in the process?

Eyes of a Porcelain Doll 

By 

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

“Beauty is not who you are on the outside, it is the wisdom and time you gave away to save another struggling soul like you.”

― Shannon L. Alder

When does fantasy 

Define reality

When perfect symmetry 

Equates anatomy 

We have heard all the aphorisms that beauty has inspired 

From long dead poets and well known liars.

Gone is the allurement of imperfections born

Reviled and maligned by society in scorn

Ugliness is a choice a refrain they often use

It plays into the mind and the body we abuse

Do not allow contentment to reside in the eyes of those

Who'd criticize and belittle the things they do not know

For flesh is simply flesh; a prisoner to exploitation 

Endemic to conformity in vanity's desperation 

For sublime and utter perfection what is mortal cost

To attain the body of a doll but in your soul be lost.

Author's Note

My muse waxed poetically about societal views of Beauty and the absurd lengths it drives a woman to seek and attain it. All this while being waxed and primped and having having my nails done. My muse Cate doesn't need that she is perfect the way she is. But I on the other hand have to look good for her. Yes, I'm a hypocrite but she inspires me in both the bad and the good. Best advice I ever heard? Don't allow others to define your happiness because you will waste your life trying to live up to everyone's expectations. Be beautiful in the you that you are.

Reviews

[.]

Once upon a time I wrote a poem about beauty and that I called overrated! True happiness is the lasting and perfect beauty and outwardly beauty can manifest many false notions among people! There are those persons who exaggerate it and take it to another level being overly exposed to this false notion....and sometimes beauty is considered as dumb! But I firmly believe you can win someone's heart for a shorter period of time by outwardly beauty but true love comes when you get to know the person properly and that is possible through a loving and caring heart.I know this society is hypocritical when talking about beauty but at the end only heart matters....

Very well penned

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Dreamer Sima for your thoughts on this poem. You are so correct about beauty. I find it incredibly sad when someone resorts to multiple plastic surgeries in order find beauty. Like the one who wanted to look like a barbie doll. They end up losing themselves in this attempt at momentary beauty. All to satiate vanity and for the perception of others who encourage their behavior. It is heartbreaking to see that. Thank you so much for your thoughts.

[John the Baptist]

Very good advice here, but in today's world it can be hard to follow, especially for the young. I wonder how many young women have been driven to anorexia and bulimia while trying to adhere to standards of perfection. By God, the painter Rubens's models would have none of it. Those girls were both chunky and comfortable with it.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

It truly is sad because of the role models of today's female youth like Kylie Jenner who has had plastic surgery before she even turned 18. What kind of example does that set. Especially when she is trying to sell beauty products claiming to bring out natural beauty when in essence they don't at all. She had lip fillers done while claiming her make up can enhance female lips to make them look fuller which they didn't. Because her surgery did that to her mouth along with the other plastic garbage she had put in her to make her body look the way it does. That type of attitude is corrosive in our society and sets an unattainable standard in beauty for young girls to try to achieve. And yet our media is absolutely fine with this poisonous behavior. It's just outrageous what is being allowed to happen. Simply because of greedy companies and corporations pushing this false idea of what defines female beauty in our society.

[barleygirl]

Interesting way of presenting your ideas about this topic (((HUGS)))

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Margie. It's inspired by someone I know approaching 60 and feeling she needs plastic surgery to resolve issues she feels she has with her body. Yet she is also afraid it will lead to excess skin. I told her she looks just fine the way she is, but she went into this discussion about men not understanding because no one complains about their weight, wrinkles, and grey hair. Surgeries won't resolve those issues because I feel they are deeper problems at hand. But she is adamant because of what she sees on TV and movies and media in general about what is perfection. As if Kim Kardashian represents total perfect. It is truly obscene what we as a society have done to the pyche of femininity in our culture when it comes to what represents beauty. More people should be outraged over it. We are putting ridiculous standards in young girls and women's heads that are simply unattainable or lasting. Sorry for the rant it just pisses me off.

[R.J Calzonetti]

I like the ideas put across by this poem. Thank you for sharing. The intricacy within is far more beautiful than its outer parts.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you RJ for your thoughts on this poem. Our society is truly fixated on a specific idea of what beauty and perfection details. We see it throughout our media and social media as well. Advertisements on products to enhance, tighten, lighten, you name it there is an item for everything. People with so much plastic surgery they no Longer look human anymore. Chin tucks, tummy tucks, lip fillers, butt enhancement, skin bleaching, and on and on. And then the endless array of diet programs that shame people into believing they can attain perfection in 6 weeks. If someone is grappling with their outer appearance to the point they feel they need endless plastic surgery there are probably deeper issues that no change can truly resolve. I truly feel bad for people who have bought into societies ideas of perfection and beauty.