The anti-smiling poem I read at The Spot 1-27-09

Why Aren‘t You Smiling?


If someone asks me why
I’m not smiling, or worse,
tells me to smile,
it infuriates me.

I don’t understand.
On what planet,
under what circumstance,
is it appropriate to tell someone
what facial expression to have?

Especially considering that
facial gestures are not universal
(as some people would have you believe)
but differ according to race,
culture, class, gender, and other variables.

I feel like I’m smiling my creepy little face off.
I genuinely try to be pleasant, sincere,
to treat other people as I would want to be treated.

But I’m not smiling enough.
People ask why I’m sad.
But I’m not sad.
I’m perfectly content.
Until they tell me
they have a problem
with my face.

Again, how is this appropriate?

It’s not.
It’s sexist and racist and fascist
and downright obnoxious and annoying
and unforgivable, though I do forgive
again and again.

What I want to say is,
“How are you so ignorant
that you don’t know that that is
a totally offensive, sexist,
racist thing to say?’'


Or, “I’m sorry. Am I not
feminine and subservient
enough for you? This
drag queen—sex slave—geisha girl
thing I got going isn’t sufficient?
Do I need to demean myself
further for you to be satisfied?”

Or, “I’m so sick (literally puking my guts out)
of living in a culture where people smile at you
while they’re simultaneously lying to your face
that I don’t want to contribute
to the emotional/ mental/ ideological pollution.”

Or, “I don’t tell you what to do
with your face, but if I did,
I’d tell you to kiss my ass.”

But no matter what I say,
they don’t get it.
They think people should smile.

Smile!
There’s a war on!
Smile!
Your baby’s on crack!
Smile!
People have credit card debt and, what’s worse, no health insurance!
Smile!
You can’t afford the lifestyle you aspire to!
Smile!
Your children want to kill themselves!
Smile!
The powers-that-be don’t want you to know the truth!

Smile Smile Smile
or you might hurt someone’s feelings.
You might disappoint—not meet a customer’s expectations.

Hey, we all have to cater to assholes with money,
so if they want you to smile at them,
then smile!
Damn it!