Click

 

Hold still. No you need to smile more.
Click.

How can a picture be perfect,
If people are perfectly posed?

How can it be a representation of reality,
When you stopped reality to create it?

How does crafting an ideal,
Justify the destruction of the moment?

And when you look back over the album
Do you think it will all be worth it?

Not like that, move over. Pause.
Click.

It didn’t just happen,
Every aspect of it contrived.

A list of people to invite,
A list of rituals to perform,
A list of words to say,
A list of food to eat,
A list of tears to shed,
A list of clothes to don,
A list of those to thank,
A list of songs to dance,
A list of jokes to play.

A list of pictures to pose,
To prove that the boxes were ticked.

A list of pictures to post,
To show that it was all done.

A list of pictures to paste,
To evoke the right emotion.

Shuffle over. Too much. Back a bit.
Click.

You got the perfect picture,
I hope it warms your heart.

You got the perfect picture,
I hope it is enough.

You got the perfect picture,
I hope you’ll get another.

You got the perfect picture,
and that’s all you’ve got.

Let’s do that again. Smile more this time.
Click.

The one you’ll show your friends,
To gloat about that perfect night.

The one you’ll show your family,
As a way to win the fight.

The one you show your kids,
To warm their darkest night.

The one you’ll show yourself,
When you want to remember it right.

Click.


This poem is from the book, ‘Bound To The Wings Of A Butterfly’.

Read more from the colleciton, download a free copy, or purchase as a Paperback, eBook, Hardcover or Audiobook.

 
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Zachary Phillips

Zachary Phillips is a poet, author, mental health advocate, and mindset coach. In these roles he has helped thousands of people move from a place of surviving to passionately thriving.

He is the author of 17 books, teaches on Skillshare, Insight Timer, and Udemy, hosts the Reality Check podcast, and is the creator of the Ask A Poet YouTube channel.

He is a qualified teacher, personal trainer, life long martial artist & coach, disability support worker, Reiki master, and is currently studying a Master of Counselling.