By: Jazlyn L. Handy

My feet say, “yes we really are women’s size 13 approximately 4 inches wide.”

“Yes, our right one has a big ugly birthmark and both our pinky toes have bunions on either side”

My feet say, “It’s okay if you cram us into too small shoes, or too high heels; we’ll ache a little later on”

My feet say, “it’s okay to forget to paint our toes and lotion our heels all winter long”

Despite all this, my feet say, “I’m beautiful”

My legs say, “No, we probably aren’t shaven, the cellulite in our upper thighs may make us look unpaven.”

My legs say, “Yes we are bruised, bumpy and scarred”

My legs say, “yes we’ve carried this body through journeys both near and far”

My legs say, “Yes we make up the majority of this goddess-like 5’11 stature”

“Yes, we endured many ankle twists and a stress fracture”

Despite all this, my legs say “I’m beautiful”

Oh, my gut says “Girl you probably shouldn’t have eaten both plates of those French fries and

You probably should have worn a girdle and sucked in on the sides”

My gut says “I grumble when I hungry, but mostly when I’m bored and

My ever growing stretch marks are just pieces of art I love to form

& even though your little sister thinks you were attacked by cats,

the truth of the matter is you’re just fat”

Despite all this, my gut says “I’m beautiful”

My hair says “I’m somewhere between curly, kinky, and nappy,

Somewhere between dry and real dry

Naturally short and sassy, feminine and classy

Somewhere between preparing for takeoff and real, real fly.”

My hair says right now, “girl you better work that weave

Take full advantage of that get up and leave

As long as you slick our edges, and hide those beady beads”

My hair says “it hurts when you comb me but that’s the price it takes to be pretty”

And despite all this, my hair says “I’m beautiful”

My face says, well we don’t even have to go there,

y’all know what’s up

I’m cute or whatever,

No, I’m beautiful

My body says “I’m beautiful,

No matter how much you love me, hate me, clothe me, shape me

I’m beautiful.

No matter how much you use me, abuse me, misuse me or amuse me

I’m beautiful.

No matter how much of me you show or hide, reveal or disguise

I’m beautiful.”

My body says,

“I’m beautiful.”

My body says I’m beautiful because my soul says I’m beautiful and my mind says I’m beautiful and my heart says I’m beautiful and my mouth says I’m beautiful

I am beautiful.

My body says I’m beautiful

My body says you’re beautiful

But what does your body say?