I am told to believe in myself look past the flaws imperfections, because all those things define the uniqueness within my body, my soul but what I see when I take that prolonged, aching glance into a mirror as cloudless as a summer evening is everything I am told doesn’t matter but how do I ignore veins crawling up my legs like the spiders they're named after or fat under my skin that seems to expand so widely it is impossible for my eyes not to trip upon it and wide hips unfocused gaze gaping pores unshaped lips rippling marks etched on my skin as a form of punishment for being myself sloping thighs feet like the twin towers giant tall wide deep is that what I am? uncertain unknown unloved but in the end just “unique”? human we’re all just human but then why do I feel so mis understood?