Pretending

thin young women thin young women on TV thin young women on TV dancing in tiny dresses thin young women on TV dancing in tiny dresses and drinking with abandon

the thin young women on TV dancing in tiny dresses and drinking with abandon are pretend

don’t try to be them, it will end in tears

pretend you are still young pretend you are thin— you are thinner than you think pretend your dress is a trendy slip of a thing, just like you. pretend you have abandoned all your cares

but don’t actually life is not pretend; it will end in tears

you don’t need the drama you don’t need the huffing and fighting and gossiping you don’t need the empty calories of fifteen-dollar cocktails

maybe you do need the dancing no matter what, it will end in tears