Beauty Concerns

a poem by Dhanya Krishnakumar

Propping myself on one elbow,
I called out to the maid,
Asking for breakfast to be served in bed.
I was feeling worn out
As on other days when I woke up,
After my beauty sleep lasting 11 hours.
My looks that meant a lot to me,
Had to be taken care of
With creams, lotions, face packs,
Age-defying complexes and all new products
That were conjured up by the cosmetologists.
Undeterred by the growling faces put on by my father,
Who had to pay my never-ending bills.
I had a special diet
Of fruits and fresh juices and boiled vegetables
Aren’t they but yummy?
And having filled my stomach
Its time now for my afternoon nap.
And then again for a cup of lemon tea,
I wake up and covered in cream
Give my small nephew the scare of his life,
And he in his innocence believes,
That he has had a ghostly visitation.
Oh, all these ignorant mortals.
After dinner its time to go to bed
I have to avoid getting those darned dark circles
Applying an overnight moisturizer,
And having had my vitamins
I cuddle in bed
And sleepily bid “gooni” to my mother
Who’s come to put off the lights
And to see that her cranky daughter
Who’s chocolate brown in color
Now she would never say black and hurt ma feelings,
Has gone off to sleep with no weird
Contraptions sticking to her face
To make her look fairer in the morning