There’s no denying it: society tells us that our bodies are not good enough. We’re constantly bombarded with images of perfect people, and as a result, many of us have really negative body image issues. These poems explore the complex emotions that come with having a poor body image. They’re honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful. If you’ve ever struggled with your body image, these poems about body image will speak to you.
1. Remember, Body… by Constantine P. Cavafy
Body, remember not only how much you were loved,
not only the beds on which you lay,
but also those desires which for you
plainly glowed in the eyes,
and trembled in the voice – and some
chance obstacle made them futile.
Now that all belongs to the past,
it is almost as if you had yielded
to those desires too – remember,
how they glowed, in the eyes looking at you;
how they trembled in the voice, for you, remember, body.
2. This Body by Stephanie Brummond
Every morning I make love to this body
I used to treat her like a suit of armor
Cold
Detached
Disposable
Replaceable
I wake her up every morning
I play with her, stretch, push
I allow her new experiences
Fill every crevice with gratitude
I nourish her out of love
I am gentle with her
I push her limits,
but allow for healing and rest
I am one with her.
We are one.
3. Fat Women vs Skinny Women by Nathan Strange
Where does it end with the skinny women getting skinnier
and the fat women getting fatter
what’s going on in this world?
You’ve got different shapes and sizes
different diets and models
a bunch of unhappy fat women depressed because they are fat
and a bunch of skinny women unhappy because they are skinny
ALL
having one thing in common
they’re all comparing themselves
to skeletons and women they see as better than them…
They don’t realise that the true journey
THE REAL JOURNEY
is that of the mind
the inner journey
the only way to be happy
is to take the real journey
of meditation
the journey that leads to
self discovery
and real emotion
Give up the ghost and
see beyond
the demons of attraction
see yourself in the mirror of the mind
and defeat your worst enemy
Accept Yourself
Or live in FEAR!
4. The Perfect Body? by StevieC Poet
Too fat ….Too thin
Too ugly …. too plain
Too spotty…. too pale
Too broken…. toofrail
Too many….too few
Too flawed ….too scored
Too crazy … too sane
Too everything…
I want ….full lips
I want … slim hips
I want … blue eyes
I want …long thighs
I want… teeth white
I want …eyes bright
I want …smooth skin
I want what I can never see
I want to learn to love just me
I need to be more muscle bound
I need to be more tall than round
I need to have a head of hair
I need to learn how not to care!
5. Effortlessly Thin Girl by Maya Robena
Talking about themselves,
her friends never stop,
to think of her silence,
or how her eyes always drop,
when they mention fat,
when they mention weight loss,
how skinny that girl is,
how fat those girls are,
diet, diet, diet,
thinking in her head,
she laughs;
if only they knew,
if only they noticed,
when they mention my weight,
it is not effortless,
she thinks of the pain,
and laughs again,
if only they knew,
she was slowly dieing,
and was too tired to move,
because she was starving,
yet no,
they don’t notice,
they call her lazy,
never stopping to wonder why,
‘how is she so thin’
‘she’s so lazy’
she laughs at this once more,
if only they looked at her,
and noticed her ribs,
her hip bones,
her collarbones,
her eyes,
so full of tortured pain,
they would know what weight loss is,
what diet means to her,
and maybe,
just maybe,
they would realize their weight,
is -just fine-…
6. Life and Body Image by Gio Masserati
I met a girl at a party
She seemed nice
A few times she said she was starving
There was a full display
Of healthy foods to eat
She said she could not indulge
I think of her for a moment now
She was so thin…to me
I ate some of the delicious food
Despite her personal starvation plea
Later, I spoke to a guy
Who seems to appreciate thinness
Over my ample thighs
I wish I could starve myself
Like other girls
But, of course,
My goals are to keep my health
So I can’t justify the starvation mentality
And I won’t buy into the lies
Although, I did in high school
And being thin and perfect
Almost damaged my body image and throat
Yes, I have been thinner
Most of my life, naturally
Cutting back when I see the need
But I was always hoping
My husband would help me
And we would work out together
When I become his wife
I just can’t do it
Be perfect
Or?
Starve myself
You see
For inside my imperfect body
I love the real me!
Final thoughts
We hope you enjoyed these poems about body image. They are a reminder that we should all be kind to ourselves and each other, especially when it comes to our appearances. Remember that you are beautiful, no matter what anyone says. What’s more, you have the power to make yourself happy by choosing not to listen to the negative voices in your head. Thank you for reading!
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Thomas Dao is the guy who created Poem Home, a website where people can read about all things poetry related. When he’s not busy working on his next project, you can find him reading a good book or spending time with family and friends.
