enough
I never thought of my weight as bad
until you told me it was
I never thought of my skin as unpleasant
until you told me it was
I never thought of my height as problematic
until you told me it was
I never thought of my stretch-marked body as unsightly
until you told me it was
everything I hate about myself,
you taught me to hate.
but my weight never defined me
my skin never represented me
I always liked my height
I didn’t even notice my stretch marks
until you convinced me
I was not tall enough
my skin was not smooth enough
my body was not modelesque enough
I was never enough.
every time
I tried to come back and love myself,
you’d give me another reason not to
every time
I tried to accept myself,
I’d see someone
fitter
taller
prettier
smarter
happier.
well I’m taking it all back
today,
I am making a promise
I will love my entire self
in all its compressed glory
despite
my above average weight
my below average height
my very average grades
my tasteless style
my uneven skin
my fragile hair
my slim wallet
I will love my entire self.
I was happiest
when I was blissfully unaware
before you softly suffocated me with criticism
and buried me
but what is a diamond
if it cannot withstand
the pressure
the stress
the heat
I will love
my
entire
self.