we have not yet reached the stage
where we can look you in the eye
meticulously fill each page
cross each t and dot each i
we look away, right ear exposed
both eyes showing, compliantly posed
not too big, small, dark or light
rejected if we don't look right
some day we may be one of you
the privileged with full frontal view

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Editor's Note: Photos on green cards issued to alien residents in the US are 3/4 frontal portraits. If you need an image, think about how the lowly serfs never look directly into the face of the emperor in Kung Fu movies. US citizen's passport photos are front-on portraits, with the subject looking directly into the camera.