Stretch Marks

Rip right through me

tear my skin

leave your mark

become a scar

—

Who I used to be

forever embalmed

—

A sad young woman

encaged in her elephantine skin

—

Counting pound

after pound,

after pound

eating to drown

the sorrows

—

Watching as you multiplied

stretching longer

and longer

and longer

—

And now you’re stained

on every part,

on every bend,

You appear,

craters in my skin

and I do everything I can

to hide you away

—

Yet, he seeks you out

runs his finger tips

over lightning

stripes

—

You’ve created

on my arms

and legs,

my hips,

my dips,

my rolls,

and my folds

—

I try not to cringe and cry

when his hands

slide down

my sides

when he grazes over the rim

of my ripped skin

leaving marks of his own

—

He says he doesn’t notice

doesn’t care

doesn’t mind

—

Kisses the ridges

Caresses the edges

—

I accept his acceptance of you

because I can’t do it myself