Externally–
Dressed in gold
Painting the town red
Walking on the red carpet
Smiling for the camera.

Internally–
Battling uncertainties
Poor as a church rat
Lone as a street cat
Broken as shattered pottery.

Reflection–
Blurred by societal opinions
Locked in a quagmire
Sinking deeper daily
Famished! Dreary! Weary!

Restoration–
Healing therapeutically
Picking up the pieces
Trudging through the process
Determined to sail through.

Renewed–
Disregarding the status quo
Wiping the slate clean
Gaining a new self-image
Changing the narrative.