Perhaps the real world's an illusion.
And perhaps it's illusion that's real.
But why would you settle for either-or,
When “together” you can enjoy the surrealism?

Note: This self-portrait and poem were created by Malak on her recent 16th birthday. She writes: "This ‘strange portrait’ shows my feelings about my first day as 16 years old. I felt at that time that there is nothing normal. I felt there is nothing ‘real’—that I was being illogical in the way I was thinking. But, I also felt that I have to be myself, not anybody else."

Posted March 22, 2016