I never thought of my weight as bad

until you told me it was

I never thought of my skin as unpleasant

until you told me it was

I never thought of my height as problematic

until you told me it was

I never thought of my stretch-marked body as unsightly

until you told me it was

 

everything I hate about myself,

you taught me to hate.

 

but my weight never defined me

my skin never represented me

I always liked my height

I didn’t even notice my stretch marks

 

until you convinced me

I was not tall enough

my skin was not smooth enough

my body was not modelesque enough

I was never enough.

 

every time

I tried to come back and love myself,

you’d give me another reason not to

 

every time

I tried to accept myself,

I’d see someone

fitter

        taller

                prettier

                           smarter

                                      happier.

 

well I’m taking it all back

today,

I am making a promise

 

I will love my entire self

in all its compressed glory

 

despite

my above average weight

my below average height

my very average grades

my tasteless style

my uneven skin

my fragile hair

my slim wallet

 

I will love my entire self.

 

I was happiest

when I was blissfully unaware

before you softly suffocated me with criticism

and buried me

 

but what is a diamond

if it cannot withstand

the pressure

the stress

the heat

 

I will love

my

entire

self.