A tan makes you thinner.
A tan makes those curves seem firmer.
It'll disguise your stretch marks.
White is "pasty".
It's ok, you don't have to bake in the sun.

She looks down at her milky white skin,
Passed down through her mothers line.
A natural English rose.
All those years of battling the sun in her youth.
The only colour she got ranged from pink to searing red.

So a spray tan it is.
Now she has that "healthy glow".
In the mirror she sees all the tricks of the eye.
Now she looks how she's "supposed to".
She fits the shape of brown.

Her skin covered in the chemical concoction.
Does it look too fake?
She doesn't know, but that's ok
No one else knows either, this is the norm.
And she fits the shape of brown.

She looks at her stretch marks.
She used to be uncomfortable about them.
Her adult daughter liked them,
She called them shiny, silvery.  Now a light brown.
But she fits the shape of brown.

She fits into the shape
That society has molded her into.
She fits into society.
No longer that big white sore thumb.
She fits the shape of brown.

One size fit all?

Work warriors
Power through your work
Claim your prize
A certificate trophy
A bonus reward.

Not so much a black dog
As a slow grey mist.
To a degree, brought on by circumstance.
But there's more to it than that.

When it's all too much
And all I want to do is lay down
Sleep... Escape... Stop.
Sleep feels like a hug.

I know that's not the way to deal with it
And exercise relieves mild depression.
But when something makes me sad, angry, confused,
Sleep feels good, the drift in makes me happy.

Short-term gain over long-term benefit.
I know better than that.
But my emotions rule.
I need to find the strength to take control.

Writing this during my breaks
On a beautiful sunny day
I want to sleep.
Want... desire, a force that's always too powerful for me.

The ideal solution would be
Desire what I need.
I need to process that thought.
Here's hoping I desire to.

Lost in myself
I lack connection with the outside,
Lack connection with what's inside.
I can see it all shrinking away.

The more I try to find the connection
The more elusive it seems to get.
There are times when it comes naturally
And I wonder 'how did I do that?'

How do I replicate those natural moments
When they don't come naturally.
What was so different on those days.
Isn't that how it should be?

Sometimes it feels like those days are there to taunt me.
It was almost easier when I never had them.
Almost, I wouldn't wish to be back there again.
I guess that means there's progress.

I am ready.
I have been ready for a while now
Ready and waiting
For you.

I am ready to feel your arms around me,
To smell your scent, to feel your presence.
To know your strength
And your passion.

I am ready for whatever you bring.
As long as you bring it to me.
Bring yourself and all you have within.
If you give it to me I will take it all.

I am ready to give you myself.
I give you my love and my passion.
You have it already.
I am ready for you to truly know it.

Are you ready for me lover?
Are you ready to feel my passion,
That goes hand in hand with my emotions
You can't have just one.

Are you ready for fire and ice
That burns and soothes
Are you ready to feel my gentle warmth,
Roaring heat, and at times my chill.

I can't promise you much.
But I can promise you will know how I feel.
If you don't, just ask
I will always be honest.

Be gentle with my honesty,
Tender with my heart,
And passionate with my body.
And you will find me just as gentle, tender and passionate.

Poem a day, day 24*

Watching the Kardashians on TV at work
He says 'Oh I hate them'
'Isn't she engaged to so-and-so?'
Really? If you 'hate' them why do you follow what they do?

I'm not particularly fussed on the Kardashians
For that reason I don't know
What's going on in their life.
Really not interested.

Because I don't know about them
I don't know them well enough
To decide to hate them.
I guess some people enjoy negativity.

Continuing comments on the people involved
Why are their lives so important to you?
Perhaps if you hate them, avoid them?
Sure it's none of my business

But I can't avoid your opinion
I would be happy to do so.
Please keep it none of my business.
Just like the Kardashians

Poem a day, day 23*

I wore my pretty dress to work today.
In the past I thought it was too nice for work
But I wore it yesterday, and really liked it
And that made me think.

Why would I be uncomfortable
Wearing something I like?
Am I really worried about being different
Or 'looking silly'?

I'm not fifteen anymore.
I don't have to dress down just because others do.
I don't have to 'dumb it down'
Because I want to fit in.

It's ok not to laugh at a joke
That's just NOT funny.
I don't have to fake it
Even in a team culture environment.

It's ok to be me,
And it's NOT ok for ANYONE to make me feel otherwise
Not even myself.
I need to be me.