"Nagsimula na pero wala na 'kong balak na tapusin. 'Di ibig sabihin 'pag 'di tinapos, ako'y hihinto na rin." - SB19

Poem | Body

By Eddlynn Jennifer Mangaoang


Please do not repost or copy to another site. Thank you. Enjoy reading.





My stubby, hairy legs constantly bother me
But my lazy ass will never spend three hours
In the bathroom every week running razors
Over the crevices of my knees and the back of 
My shin and in between my thighs.

My protruding stomach carrying three years
Amount of Filipino adobo, caldereta, afritada;
Fried rice, Chicken Joy, spaghetti, avocado...
And taco pork and chicken and mochi and
Ramen and Thai boba and suman and stomach acid.

The stretch marks run all over my waist
Reminding me of that drainage ditch alongside the 
Cornfield, so vast under the sky and that lone tree
From afar where that uncle farmer kept his 
Balanggot and red water jug, yellow plastic cup

And his radyo de baterya. I opened my chin once
Last year, and I got these three stitches that I
Think were really cool. Who knew I would ever get one?
The scar slightly faded. I thank my double chin for
Hiding that little bit of embarrassment.

Let me just put on my t-shirt before facing everyone.
I didn't get to ask my sister to tweeze my dark armpit
Yesterday. Yes, it's for the stubbles and not the melanin-covered,
hair-ingrown, hairless-chicken-like armpit I refused
To raise my arm for when I do wear sleeveless.

Have you counted my belly fat when I'm sitting?
What about the fats on my back?
They're very nice to touch and pinch. My sister could
Attest you to that. There're some pimple marks on my back,
And some on my upper arm, and my face not a lot.


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