Artwork of Flaws

Jealously, she admires her peers
“They all look so beautiful” she says
But loudly clanging in her ears
Are the chains of self doubt filling her with dread

In the mirror, she sees a distorted reflection
“Why can’t I be like them?!” she cries
A shattered mosaic of imperfection
With a heart full of dark remarks, she sighs

Vendors of ‘slim tea ‘ are her new base
Women beauty magazines, her holy books
Like a ritual, she rubs on all bottles of cream
Trapped and caught up in this craze, “I have to look like them”
She’s learned to hate her self and looks

A beauty eclipsed under dysmorphia
A crushed rose wilting under her own fear
Tossing and turning with insomnia
“Will anyone think I’m pretty, do they care?”

Her body to her, a puzzle of shapes
“Why is my nose big and my eyes small?”
Over and over like broken record tapes
“I’m not beautiful in any way at all”

For years has she heard this
Her belief it became
The self hate in her eyes are hard to miss
Internalized scars, she’s not the same

Why are there so many of her?
Crushed in the search for an artificial body
She’s all around us, in the church, in the bar
Hating herself and her own body

Find her now please! Where is she? Look for her!
She’s right there! In front of you, in front of me
Inside of me. She stares back at me in the mirror
Tell her she’s pretty, she’s beautiful

More than the scars and stretch marks
More than the dark circles and eye bags
More than online comments and dark remarks
More than any idea, belief or tag

The uneven tones of her skin
Are like the kaleidoscope
The stretch marks on her body
Are as patterns of an elegant embroidery

Her smile is like the rising of the sun
Her eyes reflect the glint of beauty and love
Delicately sculpted hands
Legs graced as that of an antelope

And when she wears that natural look
Oh! Angels in heaven get jealous
Can you see her blushing?
She’s as pretty as a rose

Take her to the mirror
Tell her she’s pretty
An artwork of flaws
Tell her to smile for the camera:⁠-⁠)

© warrior queen, 2024

#loveyourbody #dysmorphiasucks