Progymnasmata

This poem was originally posted in the Picture Poetry Contest.

Will you continue to look at me, please?
Fair skin, dark hair, black circles, white sclera:
You're a pose of contrasts. Metallic blue
Feathers reflected under mascara.

They airbrushed you. Can't you see? No face is
That white, that unblemished, that de-veined.
You're a Wal-Mart shrimp frozen from the farm.
Bloodless and raised in a seine to be seined.

I retract my request. Please turn away.
I'm a fish lunging at a rapid flash,
Too dumb to see the hook and filament.
You prepackaged fire, you heap of ash!