self-esteem
no, none at all
thinking of me
and

hair
dyed too many times to count
multilayered
and not quite
long enough

eyes
that I can't name the color of
blue or green or grey
they disappear
when I smile

nose
half my mother's
half my father's
unequal nostrils
& too round maybe

lips
stolen from somewhere probably
the only one of my tribe
with these
"non-white-girl" things

shoulders
too rounded
breasts
too large
stomach
too soft
hips
too wide
legs
too short
feet
too small

and when I look in the mirror
I wonder how he could love so amazingly
what I can't love at all
how he can touch and kiss every imperfection
and say I'm the most beautiful thing he's known

more true than all other words:
love is blind

05/18/2003

Author's Note: He doesn't cease to amaze. He said once to me as we were lying there almost sleeping, "You make me believe love can conquer all." I didn't realize until today that he makes me believe the same thing.

Posted on 05/18/2003
Copyright © 2024 Emily G Myers