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Plastered Smile

A Poem on Battling False Positivity

By Michelle Liew Tsui-LinPublished 2 years ago • 1 min read
Plastered Smile
Photo by Vinicius "amnx" Amano on Unsplash

If you're anything like me, you'd cringe at the presence of someone who's a Pollyanna about everything. Why? It's impossible to be positive about everything all the time. 

Life has its ups and downs, and while we should maintain a positive attitude, we've got to acknowledge that there are curve balls to either dodge or bat with all the force we can. Not acknowledging these challenges can make being positive a false proposition. 

What's the balance? Mindfulness. While we should be grateful for what we have, we do have to admit that life's not perfect. Love ourselves, including our imperfections, and know that it's alright to admit that life's not always what it's cracked up to be. 

So, let's smile, but take the plaster off. It's painful. Enjoy these Cinquains. 

Fake smile

Plastered, affixed

Worry lines at jowl's sides

Laughter, canned, false and bland 

False joy that leaves the heart colder

Empty

Fixed grin

Coated and smeared

Rub off coat with strong hands

True radiance covers the smile

Warmth covers.  

inspirationalCinquain

About the Creator

Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin

Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.

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    Written by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin