No, you're not perfect, and that is why you're beautiful.
By Shelby Henderson — Written on Aug 10, 2017
If you are an Instagram addict like me, you’ve probably seen Instagram poet, Atticus, floating around and gracing your feed over and over with his minimalistic black and white poems. The poems are most likely typed on a typewriter and Atticus' Instagram page is your epitome of your IG page #goals.
Seriously guys, it’s stunning.
Unlike many Instagram poets, he doesn’t reveal his true identity and doesn’t even show his face in posts, profile pics, or at readings of his works.
He wears a mask to remain anonymous so he can continue to write what he really feels — instead of what he thinks he should feel. Can I get an amen?! *Swoon*
Most of his poems are either about his muse — or the “female spirit”, as he likes to call it. But the mysterious IG poet has been getting some backlash for the content of his work.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, Atticus is asked about the recent critiques that his poems fetishize brokenness and put women on pedestals.
He defends his work by arguing that he wants to start conversations about the idea that we are all flawed, broken, and struggling — but that those flaws we all have are beautiful. More beautiful than our clothes or highly edited IG post.
In a world where young girls are growing up and thinking that what they see on Instagram or in a high fashion magazine is perfect and “the goal”, I find his message to be extremely comforting.
He is showing people that we can focus on our flaws, our skin, our stomachs and still see beauty in them. And that we can be sad, cry, and talk about our struggles in life and still be beautiful.
And as much as I love Instagram, it has turned into a place where people go and compare themselves.
What we forget, though, is that we are comparing ourselves to edited pictures and pages upon pages of posts that only show the “happy” parts of people’s lives. I even find myself feeling down after spending a little too much time on the app.
But Atticus is using the platform to show that no one is perfect, flaws are beautiful, and that we can talk about what makes us sad and happy!
Here is a mysterious poet saying your flaws, emotions, and struggles make you beautiful. And you don’t need to be anymore than that. You are enough just the way you are.
If you have been feeling the pressure from social media then know you are not the only one. We all go through it and Atticus is bringing us together, through his poems, to talk about how our flaws make us so, so, so beautiful!
Check out a collection of his poems below to learn to love your flaws because they are drop dead gorgeous!
That we must accept our happy days.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“My love, you have too many smiles left in you to be so sad.” - Atticus
That we all have a light and dark side.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“There was storm in her eyes / rocky seas from a hundred stormy night / but also too / there was a light / a warm wind / from a distant shore / so that’s where I headed /towards her light / that shone with gentle seas.” - Atticus
That being messy is OK.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“It was her chaos that made her beautiful.” - Atticus
That women don't belong in jars.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“Boys chase girls / like fireflies / to put them in a jar / but will learn again / what they learn as boys / that wings don’t belong in jars.” - Atticus
That chaos can bring two people together.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“I told her I was lost in this world / and she smiled / because she was too / we were all lost somehow / but we didn’t care / we has in each others chaos / found each other.” - Atticus
That we ALL have out bad days, but can pick up and fight on.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“ ‘Put your head up,’ he said. / For you are a lion. / Don’t forget that / and neither will the sheep.” - Atticus
That women can drink whiskey too.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“She has that / whiskey sipping / skinny dipping / smile.” - Atticus
That really, really sad feelings are valid.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“She wasn’t sad anymore, / she was numb, and numb, she knew, / was somehow worse.” - Atticus
That we are more unique than perfect brush strokes.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“I felt her so intensely / words seemed unfit / I needed to paint her / grab colors with my hands / and throw it at the canvas / ‘there’ I would point / ‘this is my love for you’.” - Atticus
That muses don't have to be fantastical.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“ The right muse will inspire truths over imagination.” - Atticus
That we can frown behind our smiles.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“Her eyes gave her away. There was a drowning girl behind that smile.” - Atticus
Yes, they do.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“I feel like girls who drink whiskey have good stories.” - Atticus
We don't have to be a happy fairy princess to be beautiful.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“The prettiest girls shine brightest in the dark.” - Atticus
That our journeys are more important than our failures.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“It didn’t matter that she fell apart, it was how she put herself back together.” - Atticus
That speaking out is OK.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“You wear your broken pieces beautifully.” - Atticus
That being different means to be loved.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“She was just my kind of crazy.” - Atticus
That being "normal" is overrated.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“I feel in love with that strange world she was.” - Atticus
That we are STRONG.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“She lived in me like a bird and flew in the strength of the wind in her wings.” - Atticus
Love her at her wildest.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
“Love her, but leave her wild.” - Atticus
We can speak ours minds and still be STRONG.
Photo: Instagram: @atticuspoetry
"Never mistake vulnerability for weakness." - Atticus
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