07: The Body - July 2021

In The Dark

I see you as the nest I use
 when love birds
 are hungry and need a stop to be fed
 I see you as my home 
 and often times my home’s a mess
 inside and out
 sometimes its spotless,
 but just on the outside
 on the inside,
 there’s a burning candle I’ve left on
 so that the smell of my insecurities
 don’t fill up the room
 so the flame can shed some light
 on my darkest thoughts
 I see you as my home
 a home, I could be taking better care of
 but society,
 you, mom, aunty, uncle Jose,
 all have something to share about my weight
 the weight I carry with me
 they believe it’s just as simple
 as blowing out a candle
 but all I see
 is the smoke
 all I see are the fears hidden behind the shadows
 in the corners of my room
 waiting,
 for the lights to be turned off,
 so they could feast on me. 
 

-Massiel Alfonso

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