Chubby cheeks, sweaty thighs
Flabby arms plus short height.

Being fat and bulky, I
Was never their favourite child.

Bitter taunts and weight loss tips
Used to be my feed at dine.

It’s not the SELF LOVE, but
The SELF HATE , I learnt at nine.

Crying as a bullied teen
I heard a voice one night –

“your body is only yours
Your scars are sunshine.
No matter what they say
It’s their unpaid job to criticise.”

It’s not my mother. But
My mirror made me realise –

YOUR BODY IS ONLY YOURS
WHETHER YOU ARE NINE OR NINETY NINE.

                                                               – Noor