Sometimes the earth moves when I walk 

and you act like I should be ashamed 

that my body can cause such a thing.

Sometimes my body takes up space 

a lot of space 

In shapes of curves and rounded circles. 

I was taught to be proud of what this life and my mother gave me. 

I was taught to love my skin, the skin that has covered me even when I felt weak  

the skin that has expanded because it thought we were about to create a life 

but actually it was just a little Taco Bell. 

The skin that has seen me crying at my lightest and laughing at my heaviest.

The skin that knows how to grow a freckle or two after a day out in the sun. 

The skin that I hope to live long enough to see wrinkled.

The skin I have bruised, cut, scraped

The skin I have mended, loved, and nurtured 

The skin that someone out there tells me I need to fix 

The skin that ain’t going anywhere anytime soon 

I love you, earth moving body

I adore you, strong thighs

Stretch marks you are the icing on a cake I am finally letting myself enjoy 

Mouth that shape shifts all day long, 

sing the praises of a body scorned 

and a love I have found through the fire.

My eyes that look to others to be fed,

look at my body and know it is enough. 

It has always been enough.