An Ode to my Imperfect Body | Poem

We grasp our first breath
Find out first air
All the while cradled
In mama’s safe care
From the world she protects us
We never feel whole
Until arms embrace us
And comfort our soul

Growing pains carry us
Through tunnels of doubt
We look around wondering
What life’s all about
Surrounded by drifters
Knowing not where roads lead
We start to find heartache
In a race to succeed

We grow into women
And men of all sort
But bodies don’t dictate
The mind’s full report
Still our eyes go on searching
For a life unrestrained
From the standard ideals
We can never maintain

The mirror’s an enemy
The scale’s no dear friend
We race toward perfection
Of which there’s no end
Our hearts find an aching
Dissatisfaction we taste
We spend lifetimes wandering
Overcome by this place

There is no finish line
On this race we do seek
You’ll never be perfect
Reality must speak.
To the weak and the slaved
Minds full of pain
Saying there’s no use in trying
To be all the same

You are you so truly
Making the mark
Of a soul with a motive
To carry a spark
That only you hold
In this whole wide earth
So why spend life thinking
Someone possesses more worth

Because they are sleeker
Or tanner or thin
They don’t hold the value
Mama held close in
To her arms you came into the world
Unknowing of doubt
But she couldn’t protect
From the voices about

You aren’t enough
You aren’t worth it in least
How can we rid
Of this terrible beast
Trying to control
We find strength from within
To push back and say
I’m not giving in

I am small and imperfect
But my body’s first claim
Is to serve me a purpose
Not look exactly the same
As a celebrity or athlete
On that big screen
It’s to window a soul
Ready to be seen

My body has cause
My mind has a light
Created with intention
To battle the night
That surrounds us
In a world upside down
We hold something special
Fighting to be found

Don’t hide, don’t shy away
Don’t shield your heart
You’ll never know what can be
With ignite of a spark
Cradle your loved ones
Uphold them with care
Tell them this truth
So that life can be their’s x

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You are a wonderful and magical being. You have been equipped with exactly what you need in order to fulfill your life’s purpose. Don’t let that power slip away from you. Go out and be exactly what you are, because the world doesn’t have another one of you.

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