Is that the lowest moment?
When you don't dare to wear shorts because of the scars that cover your legs.
And then you're sitting there at the dinner table with your family,
And they keep on telling you to eat,
But all you mutter is "I'm not hungry",
When you actually are.
You're starving but your image is worth more than a meal.
You eat a few bites just to shut them up,
And then run to the bathroom to rid yourself of it,
To make sure you can fit into those jeans,
The ones that could stand you losing another 5 pounds.
You get used to the lies of:
"I'm not hungry"
"I ate before I came"
And "oh yeah I'm fine, just tired".
Is that your lowest point,
When the only food you're feeding yourself is lies?

she found bits of happiness
in scars
when others only found bitterness
she found relief
when others found death

in scars
she was welcomed
unlike outside
where everyone
despised
her

in scars
was a family
who understood
her
pain
and her
suffering

- a.l.

i was always told to hide
my scars

under long sleeves
in the heat of summer
with long skirts
and opaque layers

no one can see
for the questions they’ll ask
i can't answer

because these scars

they are signs of vulnerability
each one tallying
a moment of defeat
another battle lost

more casualty
though the blood no longer
stains my skin

but me, myself, and I
am a sign of perseverance
i still breathe
and run and jump

i’ve endured the war
each scar tallying
a moment of survival
another fight won

so don’t tell me to hide
my scars

i wear each one proudly
medals of honor
and the questions you’ll ask

i’ll answer and say
"Yes, my scars are still here,

but so am I.”

each of these scars on my skin (paper)
tell stories and my fingers touch them to hold my memories
because i remember opening up and i hated telling anyone
how i felt
and what it was like to see my insides pour out
and that i still wanted to do it,
i still wanted to decorate my arms, thighs, stomach, hips, heart
with little pink red purple red lines
i remember when he grabbed my arm and i cringed and flinched and ****** air in through my teeth and my chapped lips
and you knew
through all that blue fabric you could see
my scars

r.c.