Poetry - My Body Image by June Kavanagh

I've hated my body for the longest time

because it is what he used

Why did my dad take what was mine?

Leaving me sore and confused

I thought my body had let me down

 I blamed it for my pain

 The way I looked filled me with disgust

 I couldn’t bear the shame!

Sex and sexuality

brought out in me such fear

even if I liked someone

I couldn’t let them near

Weight was always an issue

I think it’s’ because he was fat

 I later used food to comfort myself

 and ended up looking like that

 For me, this was unforgiveable

 I felt I looked ugly like him

 I couldn’t control my eating

 I didn’t know where to begin

 I didn’t always succeed

 but I got better every day

 The more I learned to love myself

 the weight just fell away

 Then one day I decided

 I’ll have no more of this

 I tried bringing in love from heaven above

 determined to find my bliss!

 I can never take for granted

 that my work is ever done

 But I see the path before me now

 and I'm determined to have some fun.