Handcrafted this body was handcrafted
It is beautiful in my maker's eyes
But in the mirror, as I grew,
This body became something I never knew
Something I started to wish I didn’t have.
Ripe age of becoming a woman.
My handcrafted body became an
Unpleasant sight.
Legs too long, curves to slim,
Breast and hips like a shadow, dim.
My father said, “It doesn’t define,”
But I craved a body I could call mine.
My face was born with a curse
Eczema marks my upper lip,
Brown eyes, thin lips, strands that slip.
No cascading hair, no perfect ideal,
I wonder why I have to call this body mine.
Scares trace my legs, my arms, my skin,
I wonder if this is how it’s always been.
Was this body built with flaws too strong?
Maybe my handcrafted body was just built wrong.
What inspired me to write this poem was reflecting on my life and the self-conflict I faced when it came to loving myself and being comfortable in my own skin, my own body. While brainstorming, I didn’t want to just express how I viewed myself, but for other girls who feel the same way to know that they are not alone. The process of writing this poem was not easy. It came with a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings, but also came with a realization within myself and how I view myself. Some literary devices/techniques that I use are metaphor, imagery, rhyme, juxtaposition, and tone. I structured my poem by starting off brainstorming and trying to channeling my feelings and experiences into words for people to understand and relate to. An author who inspired my writing style would be Justin. Justin is a good friend of mines who write poetry for people to read and relate to. Having conversations with him and asking him questions helps me write better, but not only that, he inspired me to write poetry. This poem is one of many that I hold dear to my heart because it is how I viewed myself and something I struggled with for a while.