Carpe Diem - St. Pius X Catholic High School

To Walk Along a Sidewalk
Carolyn Hernadez
And so The Model fell
onto the Silverscreen
into the Party Scene
smack into the middle
of the 21st Century
She fell in love with
The Camera---
their affair nearly
destroyed her
She flirted with The Media
she yanked it onto the dance floor,
dodging publicity stunts, handbag lines,
cosmetic chains, book signings,
movie premieres, night clubs,,,,,,,
She whirled and twirled
Spinning out of control
Under the Pressure
Until she ran dead on into REALITY
And it crushed her.
You see,
we are but human,
--even The Model
humans must acknowledge
that REALITY exists
--even The Model
REALITY looms overhead
Daunting, mocking
REALITY is a jealous force
--of even The Model
REALITY feels threatened
when challenged
by Overachievers
by Goal-Setters
by Dabblers
by Artistes
--by even The Model
all who question
the authenticity of REALITY,
who defy it, deny it, push it to its Limit
forcing it to finally
push back.
had acted the part,
but lost pie ce s of h er sel f
in the characters
She had ridden the tortuous wave
of the Parties, the Concerts,
the Bars
and it drowned her
---She was washed up---
onto the shore,
onto the pages of
The Magazine,
with her hair ripped
her robes tattered
her body in shreds.
Focused in the Camera Lens
ready for her photo shoot:
The Model peers furtively
from behind her Mask
of animal waste and
byproduct make-up
her greasy, hairspray crusted,
chopped up locks
screen her from the harsh glare of
the Lights
Her bony chin tilts, her heavy eyes
d
r
o
o
p
her spine curves, her knobby knees bend
right angles, she angles
towards the camera
She is a skeletal form,
worn out,
painted up,
decked out,
propped up.
Once upon a time
There was an Idol
perched upon a pedestal.
And oh, does it.
The Model had danced herself,
(gaunt and haggard)
over the e
dge
Turn the page of Vogue
and She’s a Doll
propped up on a stool.
Thank-you REALITY.
Carpe Diem 2005
7