Perfect,

Simple,

Plastic.

Our pristine faces shining

each time they come to play.

“Run, run, run, to your places”

Mother is always screaming

“Don’t let them see”

Father is always angry

“Wear your finest dress”

Brother is sky high

“And cover your faces.”

Hey kid,

open the walls,

come play with our perfect family.

When you’re away,

it’s when we truly play,

to make sure you don’t hear me say,

“Mom, wake up,

Dad’s on the run,

and your son is smoking crack again.”

Ha!

Nobody listens,

they just see our life glisten,

perhaps one day they’ll know

what goes on in the kitchen.

You know my mom,

she’s still got it going on.

Look at all that glittering jewelry.

But when you turn your back,

all she has is a flask,

to erase his infidelity.

My brother?

He’ll go back to the attic,

Back to plastic.

Picture perfect,

They say,

If only it could be that way.

Picture,

Picture,

“Gather for the picture,

Next to your brother,

Be a good sister.”

Why do they think we’re so perfect?

“Please don’t let them look through the curtains.”

I see things

That nobody else should see.