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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