Live as You Are

‘LIVE AS YOU ARE’
the shop window says
repeatedly

‘LIVE AS YOU ARE’

Between the words of statement
manikins stand rigid
decked out
in the robes of their master

No wonder kids
- people of all ages
are so confused
pulled both ways in a tug of war
between individualism
and conformity

‘LIVE AS YOU ARE’

I should walk in that shop
stark bollock naked
and demand an explanation
plead with the cashiers to clarify
to explain to me in detail
just how exactly
I can ‘live as I am’
and dress
to their exact specifications

Only
I’ll be the one taken away
I’ll be called ‘confused’
‘unreasonable’
when it’s them
those with the pen
and the bullshit message
that are so
warped