She stares.
She stares at herself in the mirror.
The love-handles around her waist,
that didn’t exist a year ago.
The rolls of fat on her stomach,
when did they become so?

Oh well, another girl complaining about being fat,
is what you might remark, and
you’re right.
But the story goes that this particular girl,
never did have a good reaction
to people who said she looked like that.

She tries on a pair of jeans,
from a couple of years ago.
and another.
and another. and another.
The belly she has struggles against the waistbands,
the label: 30-31 in. rubs spiteful against her back.

She shoves those jeans into a corner;
whispering, I hope I look like that again.
Her parents notice and tell her about it.
Because of course: “I’m telling you this for your own good!”
the word “body-positive”
never did exist in their vocabulary.