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Editor’s Note: In honour of World Poetry Day, Jessica submitted the following poem entitled “Who Are You?” If you have a poem to share at any time of the year, please feel free to submit it! We happily accept creative writing of all kinds. You can learn more about sharing your story and submitting at liberomagazine.com/submit
Who Are You?
‘Who are you, besides skinny?’
Music seeped through my ribs,
flowers bloomed between my hips,
poetry ran down my shins
pooling between my toes.
‘Who are you?’
She repeated.
Love letters bled down my wrists,
my mother’s fingers
twisted the sun into my hair,
prose and coffee wept from my lips.
‘Who are you?’
Did she know how it stung?
Wild and coarse against
ears that had known symphonies,
eyes that had loved tirelessly, and
thighs that could keep secrets.
Who am I?
‘A daughter,’ spoke my shoulders,
‘a sister,’ nudged my elbows,
‘a friend, a dancer,
a lover,’ urged my waist.
‘Who are you, besides skinny?’
Stillness dampened her office.
The mirror sunk her claws in,
lingered
and whispered,
“No one.”
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Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a musical theatre major and writer based between Sydney and NZ. I'm currently in recovery from anorexia and anxiety, writing about my experiences along the way. Ultimately the goal is not to love my body, or food, but to stop caring altogether and get on with the more important things in life.
