Virtual

“Let’s bring the world closer,” they said 

Yet their idea of closeness has pierced a hole in the heart of the world 

Nothing is real

For even the way I dress has to be approved by friends who don’t exist 

I mean, they virtually do

They follow me everywhere 

From Facebook to Instagram to Twitter, but they are never really near 

Hey Lord, can you look at our world 

Please!

Will you?

Our hey’s and hello’s are wrapped in e-messages

And our hugs, wrapped in mail, delivered at our door steps 

The love you told us to share, we’ve melted and  turned into emojis 

Even though we text, “laughing out loud.” 

Our faces are frowned, for there’s a constant emptiness, one which memes cannot fill 

So we go Live, but inside we are dead

For we have created a standard of life that we must all live by; now even our children can’t play outside.

For we have chosen to live a life that’s “cool”

We are told what to do, by everything trending.

Confined in a box, our insecurities have grown stronger

For all our eyes have been trained to see is “perfection”

And sharing normal life struggles has become an abomination 

We have come to fear who we truly are, and lost touch with the ones always by our side. 

Piece by piece we fall apart, but no one cares to notice our tears 

For they are all busy liking what we post, never really liking who we are

But what do I know, I’m just an Instagram addict like you, also living in this virtual world…

Authored by Beulah Nimene 

Featured Image by Sharmelan Murugiah