Slam Poetry

Change.

As she swallowed each pill, to ease the pain,

I thought back to when she was ok.

She was healthy, happy, all of the above,

What suddenly made her change?

The voices in her head, whispered "Don't eat! Don't eat!"

Even though she was desperate for a bite.

And as she stood up, after swallowing 5 pills, on her paper thin skin and bone legs,

All I wondered, was what suddenly made her change?

I couldn't stand to see her cry, over the single M&M she ate,

the pizza, lettuce, rice, chicken anything she could possibly chew,

So I sat her down, and she swallowed another pill, this one was to treat her depression, 

and said to her, in my gentle voice,

"What suddenly made you change?"

As tears streamed down her cold, pale face,

she told me her sad story.

Every day, whether magazines or television, or even just seeing the other girls at school, she saw so many skinny girls. They were thin and had a special glow, which is all she ever wanted people to see in her. She wanted those bony legs, weak arms, and defined collar bone. She wanted that false sense of confidence all the beautiful women in the world had.

The thing is, she WAS one of those girls, with her beautiful, natural physique. Her kind smile, and shining skin, why did she not notice what everyone else could see?

But once she reached her goal, and looked like Angelina Jólie, her whole life became about food. Food and exercise. Food and exercise and counting calories. Food and exercise and counting calories and restricting. Food and exercise and counting calories and restricting and losing herself in her chaotic journey to reach her twisted idea of perfection. Why did she have to change?

So, sitting with her, I took her delicate hand, and told her,
"You never even needed to change."