She went from
overweight
to
scrawny
Unadorned
to
caked with makeup
Loner
to
desperate
Dumb
to
know it all
Weird
to
fake
How did she end up
more repulsive
than she started?
She is now
blind to her true self
blind to her beauty
Outer beauty is really only
one image
one definition in society
a narrow and shallow measure
that does not display
the rich depth of true beauty
However, people preach
that inner beauty
welcomes
every personality
starts with self-love
She eventually finds some genuine self-appreciation
just to be told that self-love is now an easy-out
a lazy alternative to change
an excuse not to improve oneself
She is caught in a web of conflicting rules and expectations
Cruel comments on social media
flowing like radiation
Like denatured proteins
the tape measure unravels
Pulled taut to the bone
Choking the waistline
Starving the girl
Demanding that she inhale
before the photo is taken
Those who feel threatened themselves
turn and “fix” others
point out imperfections
initiate the toxic cycle
Change is imperative
however the changes
that are not being made in society today
are sparking change within young women tomorrow.
My favorite part of this poem was the very start, I loved the conflicting words and how they were both negative, not from lonely to friendly, but lonely to desperate, which worked really well. My favorite line is "She eventually finds some genuine self-appreciation / just to be told that self-love is now an easy-out." That's a really powerful line and reflects the culture we live in where people aren't able to love themselves if they look a certain way. This poem was a great analysis of the fatphobic and beauty focused society we live in, and how it negatively effects women. Great job!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of this poem was the symbolism that you used with the tape measure. It helped me understand the message of your poem using a very creative and interesting way. My favorite line is "She is caught in a web of conflicting rules and expectations."
ReplyDelete