BODY / IMAG(INE) – a poem in four parts

PART ONE/ BODY

She dressed

Hastily

Alone

Averting her eyes

As loose flesh rolled

Over her frame

 

And by squeezing

And shimmering

Her frolicking hips

She pulled the bathing suit on

[that damned swimsuit on]

 

                  — gasping for air, she

Pledged allegiance

To the salad buffet, but

[Managed to]

Avoid outward curses or cries

 

PART TWO/IMAGE

She hated the (swim)suit

How it looked

How it felt

How it pinched and contorted

All of her rolls

Scars – and stretchmarks – and cellulite

Now on proud display

(and, for the record, she hated them too)

But – most of all

She hated herself

 

PART THREE/ ESCAPE?

Stepping out

Of the inner sanctuary

Tight closet

Of the changeroom

Was a feat

Reserved

Only for the bravest of souls

 

A battle of wills, and wits

 

So, donning a towel

And oversized tote

— filled with unnecessary items, but

Brandished as shield

She made her stand

 

Fleeing, towel wrapped,

Toward the poolside

Dreading the moment

She’d drop her towel

 

Thighs wobbling

Hips jiggling

And breasts sagging

In tight nylon restraints

 

She made her escape

Pretending, oh pretending

To ignore

The stares and whispers

                  — faint laughter

That followed her across

The slip-per-y

Floor

 

PART FOUR/ IMAGINE

Cornered poolside

She knew speed was her saviour

In matters of flash

And skin

Rippling rolling

 

The towel unfurled

From pendulous bulk

She stalked boldly

(Solid footsteps)

(In a) mass of flesh

and fury

to the edge of the pool
and perched, momentarily

birdlike, on the ladder

Then made her descent

 

As waters engulfed her

She floated, buoyant

Momentarily weightless

And fin-a-lly

Free

 

Photo Credit: flossyflotsam Flickr via Compfight cc

Written by 

Carly Zee is a poet and writer and lover of the finer things in life — like good wines, dark chocolate, and erotica. She finds myself seeking pleasure over reason on far too many occasions, and will, in all likelihood, continue to do so. To come along for the ride, you can connect with Carly through https://carlyzee.wordpress.com/

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