You see me naked
Your eyes widen as
I don’t match the image
Concocted in your head
Whimsical of the feel
As your hand grazes
The stretch marks that
I fought hard to erase
My skin hangs low in
Places some to remind
Of the times when I
Wished to be thin
“Be gentle with me”
I say silently, almost
Ashamed to tell thee
Of the terrible things
Endured by my body
I starved for days to
Ensure that the tum
Was sucked well in
To hunger I was numb
I thirsted for days for
That lick of cheese
To make my heart
Happy I’d be down
On my knees but my
Head wouldn’t let it
Even get a piece as
My will to be ‘thin’
Went to extremes
They said I was fat
And I would laugh
Along too until I’d
Go home and cry
Alone in my room
And with every tear
I’d need comfort
Food and so I’d
Binge on dirt and
Feel guilt after
It wasn’t the way
I know that now
Don’t need to hear
It again but how do
You rid yourself of
The voice that says
“Lose the pounds,
It’s not okay to be round
The fat needs to be
Gone forever just delete!”
Playing in my head on
Repeat but what I
Think I wanna share
Here is – it’s my body
So my rules are fair
Don’t tell me even
On a dare that I’m an
Elephant just because
I enjoy my meals or
Don’t say I can sit on
You and break you
Because you don’t
Know how it feels
I will never hate on
Those who spoke
Words so unkind
But honey please
Know that they still
Play on my mind
Body image fragile
No stamina to
Walk even a mile
Don’t look at me
With sympathy
Because I have
Fought through
Just remember the
Next time you base
Your idea of a joke
On someone obese
They have hearts too
