Visit me sometime, said the dessert plate.
One more slice will not hurt.
No one would know.
There’s always room for one more.
One more piece of chocolate.
One more slice of pizza.
One more stick of butter.
The mirror became the enemy.
Shrieked at the jiggling flab.
Mocked at the increasing weight.
Fumed at the new plus sizes.
The toilet bowl understood though.
Gave the nerve to ram my fingers.
Helped in ignoring the vile taste.
Cheered by showing the flat tummy.
My head strayed on its way back home.
Cigarettes were the slimming pills.
Alcohol roped in mock-happiness.
Drugs erased traces of grim reality.
My body started giving up on me.
Only dismal escapades in bed.
Blackouts a steady companion.
Painful withdrawal while resisting.
Visit me sometime said the toilet bowl.
One more puke will not hurt.
No one would know.
But… I would know.
Inspired by some dark conversations and confessions shared with an aspiring model. Anthony at dVerse has us spilling our beans tonight at the pub. Join in and share yours…
An Armchair Perfectionist 
No one knows but I. Beautifully written.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLike
Absolutely awesome.. What a way of expressing this confession.. Nice prajakta
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks a lot!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have captured this as though from a firsthand experience. Very insightfully written.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Listening to them almost became first hand – really swayed my thoughts! Thank you!
LikeLike
Wow…
LikeLike
Ah…! Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh heck… it’s heartbreaking to be caught in such a circle of eating, vomiting, self-destruction… seems like she has found a way to resist… and be who she is…
LikeLike
It is a vicious circle… Takes time to come out of it completely, if at all.
LikeLike
This is a bit sad though, but that is life then. That’s a bitter story of celebrities, aspiring artists, models. It’s sad.
LikeLike
What is more sad is that every day more and more girls are aping and aspiring to achieve those impossible standards.
LikeLiked by 1 person
when you start that path of being obsessed .. it’s a slippery slope.. I was relieved to here it was not yourself.. hopefully there comes that day of realization.. So many try to mold themselves into patterns that are not themselves.
LikeLike
Once or twice, it really is tempting to slip – especially listening to some thoughts after binge eating, Holding on is necessary!
LikeLike
A sad, thought provoking, but extremely well written poem, thanks Prajakta, and well done!
LikeLike
Thank you Ritu… It needs to be dealt with.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true…
LikeLike
I admire the voice very much ~ A very relevant topic as a lot of young girls are easily swayed by that mirror and pressure to be slim and sexy as a model ~ I am afraid that the body will give up sooner than later ~
So well done with the prompt ~
LikeLike
Thank you Grace… We have stopped listening to what our body is telling us. This needs to be discussed more often.
LikeLike
Very well written! or I should say very well confessed 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you Het!
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes, you will…and i admire the strength in being honest about this…because it is an issue that many people struggle with…struggling with who we are…the shape of us….and what we are sold as should be sexy…and the struggle to meet it…
LikeLike
Oh yes… When I saw them spilling the beans and the haunting look in their eyes, I realized how many more must be going through this. This had to be told and shared,
LikeLike
Strong voice expressed.
LikeLike
Thanks a lot Ayala!
LikeLike
Ah, this cycle of behavior seems to be more prevalent than we would ever give. Your poem was a vivid depiction of what it is all about. So difficult to break the cycle when it always finds a new form to take. Powerful fare. And EXTREMELY well written.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for that encouraging and thoughtful comment Mary! It isn’t just difficult to make the cycle – it takes even more strength to get rid of it.,.
LikeLike
Sadly the media has really distorted what beauty really is. I have seen the struggles with my own children, as they have attempted to measure up!
This is very powerful. Thank you Prajakta for sharing.
~Carl~
LikeLike
It must have been heartbreaking to see them go through the struggle and self-doubt… Thank you for your kid comments Carl…
LikeLiked by 1 person
My youngest now 16 did some modelling starting when she was 14. It changed her, and not for the better. She is no longer doing it, and is taking counselling, and her self worth is now coming back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully written and powerful! Thank you for sharing this thought-provoking piece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Tonya… This issue is really close to my heart.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whimsical and poignant.
LikeLike
Thank you…
LikeLike
This is painfully accurate…thank you for giving voice to this sort of secret and the image is PERFECT.
LikeLike
Thank you Hannah… Accepting and loving oneself shouldn’t be so difficult right!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely…I have a cling sticker on my mirror…”acceptance.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good idea! I think I’ll gift it to someone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 That makes me happy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How sad it must have been for you to meet with women in this situation. No profession should foster such unhealthy practices. Your poem really does expose the reality of this, the lack of glamor, the false beauty involved sometimes in being a fashion model.
LikeLike
Some were my friends and it is still painful to witness the struggles which have now seeped into everyday life… Thank you for your comments!
LikeLike
The voices in our heads embody themselves where they will. Yet those same voices which lack corporeal embodiment, otherwise, implicate the fleshiness they fill.
Well done
LikeLike
What a great point… mind over matter! Thank you
LikeLike
What a heartbreaking write, to know and hear these things. the hell people put themselves through to be “perfect” never knowing they already are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true… Thanks a lot for your thoughts
LikeLiked by 1 person
As a habitually overweight person, I used to think it might be nice to be bulimic for say a year; I mean the Romans used to overeat habitually, & then use their vomitorium. Oh well, flat tummies, 6-pack abs are for others to enjoy it seems; powerful passionate compassionate piece this, a very effective take on the prompt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get you Glenn! So often we think of it as a quick fix and then we intend to stop. But it takes over your mind. Madness!
LikeLike
powerful words, our image and our self-image don’t always align. This was very good.
LikeLike
Thank you… What a dangerous non-alignment.
LikeLike
Some people will have so much of self destruction in them – well penned.
LikeLike
Thank you Abhra!
LikeLike
I think you have captured the life very well and so sad what they do to stay beautiful in the eye of the camera.
LikeLike
Thanks a lot…
LikeLike
I’ve watched way too many documentaries on this… and it breaks my heart.
I know it’s a disease that’s so hard to break free from… the mirror becomes the devil on your shoulder and echos the bad thoughts in your head… amazingly written… thanks for joining
LikeLike
Oh yes… It is heart-wrenching to hear 7 year olds going on diets and counting calories. Thank you Anthony for the prompt!
LikeLike
Very powerful and well written. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLike
Thank you Leigh!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I mentor young women and so often this self-destruction haunts them. An excellent write!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Anna…
LikeLike
What an important topic. It seems our never too thin, never too rich culture nurtures this disease. Just look at the pinterest feed, so much of it is extreme diet & exercise or recipes for extremely rich food. Well done.
LikeLike
I have stopped looking at pinterest and other columns which give those tips and suggestions and hacks! No no… Thanks Mary for commenting…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah.. yes.. when the mirror becomes the unconditional friend.. the peace of mind and loving others.. does usually flow.. as well as health and so much more..:)
LikeLike
Also, the uninvited friend… Thanks for dropping in 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree with C.C’s comment. The narrative is very believably first-person. The retching, the agony, the uncertainty are all dramatically etched. Powerful stuff.
LikeLike
Thank you Shailaja
LikeLike
Beautifully written 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Shashank!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is interesting, sad and well written. But isn’t it a decision chosen by her?
LikeLike
At times not… A film closes over your eyes and you really have no idea what is happening. It’s crazy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe. I haven’t gone through something like that yet! So I have no idea.
LikeLike
And I hope you don’t have to ever!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish you the same 🙂
LikeLike
It really happens then? I can only hope these are conscious choices made by people.
LikeLike
More often than you’d want to believe! They are more like sub-conscious actions…
LikeLike
I love this. All in the name of perfection.
LikeLike
Thank you Christy…
LikeLike