I look in the mirror

And what do I see?

I see a monster

Looking back at me.

I see curves in all the wrong places

Hair lank and limp.

Skin full of acne

And thin, cracked lips.

I see unwanted rolls of fat

Flabby, thick limbs

Braces on my teeth

Bitten nails, dirty and grim.

I see all of this

And so much more.

For when I look in a mirror,

I can’t ignore

The scars and the wounds

The mind-numbing pain

The broken bitter girl

Soaked, standing in the rain.

Lightning flashes around her

She can’t escape the storm.

Thunder rolls and echoes

She feels all alone.

But when you look

When you see

You see a girl

Who can be redeemed.

“The scars don’t matter,” you say

“They can be healed.

The only thing that counts

Is when you choose to reveal

“Your true self

I know you can be. It’s now―

If there ever was a time

For you to be set free.

“It’s hard to look past

The fear and the hurt.

Sometimes you just can’t.

Whatever happens, know that

There will always be 

Someone who sees 

Past the ugly, past the broken

Past the scars, past the disease.

There will always be

Sunlight after a storm

Calm after a hurricane

Peace after a war.

There will be you.

Someone true to yourself

Someone who doesn't compromise

Your worth for worthless things.”

There will be me.

Standing tall. Proud. Confident.

Because however I see myself,

Whatever they tell me I am―

I know that I am so much more.