"can you do me a favour?"

she asked.

"don't look at me."

•••••

If they would see the real me,

They'd see the itsy-bitsy scars on my wrists

And they'd see the not-so-itsy-bitsy scars running down my hips.

They'd see the stretch marks
from when a person grew inside of me

They'd see skin that no one would ever find beautiful.

They'd see a caged soul that rattled the iron bars of her cage.

They'd see

That

I

Was

The

Opposite

Of

Beautiful.

for real.