Endo Belly

A Poem

Photo by Ava Sol on Unsplash

Endo Belly

I learned how to
Hate my body
Long before I desired
To love my body.
A preteen with
A bulging abdomen
Surrounded by judgment,
I learned to never
Give myself the breath
My lungs desperately craved,
Lest my core expand
Beyond my control.
There is a constant
Reframing process
Happening in my mind,
Even as I scan my body
For any looming threats.
We are at war;
I have to remind myself
We are on the same side.

If you are a fan of this poem or my poetry in general, I invite you to check out both of my poetry collections, including my most recent publication ‘When I Bleed: Poems about Endometriosis.’ You can find it https://amzn.to/32uWRPv or anywhere you buy your poetry!