For today’s Flashback Friday, we are going waaay back, to January 17, 2014. This poem is titled, “Letter to the Future,” and I found it especially interesting because now I am living in the “future” to which it is addressed.
Eating Disorder Recovery
Another Thing I’m Thankful For
This décima is for this week’s challenge from Ronovan Writes. The word is “stuff(ed),” which is appropriate considering that Thursday was Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving used to be absolutely terrifying to me because it felt synonymous with overeating. The last few years, thankfully, have been much easier. Even if I eat a lot of pie! It never completely goes away, but it’s been better overall.
Clothes Shopping is the Worst
This butterfly cinquain is for Brian’s prompt about shopping. I’ve gotten more relaxed about the things in the poem, but it’s still where my mind went. I think things have gotten better because I used to not think I was worthy to take up any space, more metaphorically, so I made myself take up literally as little space as possible. Anyway, I hate shopping, especially for clothes! Also linking with DVerse OLN.
A Realization
When I refused to eat at my family’s table,
I was refusing the only way my father knew
To show love, feeding him a “Screw you.”
Anger ate me up inside, there was no room
For life, and happiness was crowded out.
Thank God I learned it was okay to take up space.
Not sure about sharing this one, but it’s what I’ve got today. Linked to FOWC: Table.
Branches Grow
I wasn’t going to write for Prosery at DVerse, but having seen that the line was from T.S. Eliot, I was interested. This week’s line is from The Waste Land: “What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow out of this stony rubbish?”
Even This I Get to Experience
I know what it is to be hungry.
I know what it is to tell myself I am content. Continue reading
What the Tags Say
The MVB prompt, “Tags,” made me think of how the eating disorder made me obsessed with the size of my clothes — the smaller the better. It didn’t matter that some brands have different ways of sizing; if I didn’t fit into size X pants, then that was unacceptable.
This poem is also for FOWC: Falling and for MLMM’s Saturday Mix, which is about antithesis (using opposites) this week. Linked with the Writers’ Pantry at PSU.
Putting worth in the tags of clothes,
Thinking a letter or number knows —
Such a rough road, no smooth sailing,
Always thinking the wearer is failing
Therefore worn down, to despair falling.
Thankfully, a new way’s always calling:
No longer to sit so sad in shadows,
But to stand against what Life would oppose.
Miss Paint-Face
This post is for Fandango’s Flashback Friday. The poem below was written / originally posted on August 27, 2019. It was inspired by the picture below, which was part of another challenge. Today, I would have preferred to post something not-sad, but this poem was the best one from the last few August 27ths.
This Is Not Only About Trees
This poem was inspired by the Weekly Scribblings about trees and also FOWC: Air. I am not sure if this poem is finished (does anyone else get that feeling that, sometimes, the poem might have more to say?), but this is what I have currently.
How beautiful is every tree,
There is delight in different leaves
Of varying forms and sizes, even one
With a tall and leaning trunk —
The air is fresh and clean, clearing
Old thoughts, and memories healing.

New Patterns
Open up the windows,
Lift the blinds
But maybe hang a new curtain —
Certainly rearrange the furniture
Change it to something happier
And take away the clutter.
There’s too much stuff
From the past; when was the last
Renovation in this place?
New color-schemes can create
A more hopeful face.