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You pinch 
And pull 
And scratch  
And tug  
And tear 
And bite  
The very body that holds you up 
 
The body that loves 
Supports 
Cradles  
Embraces  
And stands by you always  
 
The body you can't bear to look at 
Cover the mirror so you don't have to see 
Baggy clothes to hide the dimples 
Curves  
Rolls  
And rolls 
Of you  
 
Holding your stomach in 
When someone wants to take a photo  
Forcing a smile 
Angling your might away from the camera 
Least you have more reminders of what you are  
 
What you look like 
What others see
What you see 
 
But it was never about your size  
Your size doesn't give a roadmap to you  
To your kindness 
To your wit 
To your humour  
To your intelligence  
To your caring  
 
Your body doesn't show what makes you you 
The books you read 
The songs you sing to 
The music that makes you dance 
The food you love 
The words that burn within you  
 
You do not need to hide behind your stomach  
Or your ass 
Or your belly rolls 
Or your double chin 
Or your thighs that burn on a summers day 
 
The body that you hold  
Also holds you 
It is you 
It is not ugly 
It is not unwanted  
It is not too much  
It is not too much  
It is not too much  
You are not too much  
 
Every inch millimetre atom of space you take up is worthy 
Every crop top you wear shows off the beauty that is you 
Every short skirt  
Every pair of jeans  
Every dress 
You decorate your body with  
Radiates the beauty that is you  
 
Now I love my rolls 
I hug my stomach  
I thank my thighs for who they are  
I squash and squeeze my own backside  
 
Because it is me 
 
And I refuse to apologise for even a single
atom of space my body decides to take up 
By Darcie Thomas