Filtered: a poem

Poem by Christina O’Donnell. Photography by Nicole Mayes.

Looking through the past,

Full of energy and life moving fast

Is the picture a memory, or is it the reverse?

The memory clouded, different, perverse.  

A moment of time, frozen yet fresh

Perfectly poised and looking her best 

Smothered in makeup, a perfect smiling face,

Last night's mistakes

virtually erased.

Can’t place the feeling, seems nothing is awry,

But the perfect selfie is often the perfect lie.

Who is she behind the filter, the perfect facade

Life has to be more than she is letting on.

Who are we to judge the picture that pops up

As we endlessly scroll, one minute never enough

Comparisons endless and opinions galore

Sucked in, seduced, celebrities adored.

The next frontier at our fingertips,

One-click and nothing seems amiss.

The next portal has opened,

And millions have tuned in.

Can we avoid it 

and separate the two

The picture and the memory, 

each a part of you.

The memory clouded,

different perverse.

Is the picture a memory

Or

Is it the reverse?