Anorexia

A young girl watched her mum as she
conformed to how society
dictated how a girl should look -
a little nip, a little tuck.

Although just five, she took it in
and saw how chocolate was a sin.
No sweets or biscuits were allowed.
A healthy diet – mum was proud.

By age of nine she often heard
her mum discussing how she cared
so much about her size and weight
and how size two made her feel great.

When she was twelve she realised
that big was bad and she despised
the buds of breasts that just appeared,
for she might now look fat, she feared

So this young girl of chubby form,
she sadly thought it was the norm
to diet and to exercise.
To be like mum – her crucial prize.

When in her teens her carbs she cut,
along with fatty things that put
an ounce of flesh upon her waist.
Her view of self was sure misplaced.

For in the mirror she would look,
while standing tall she would try suck
her tummy in but sadly there
was not an ounce of flesh to share.

With every day her frame grew thin.
A fat girl she still saw within.
The bones protruding from her hips
and still no food would pass her lips.

At sixteen she could walk no more,
emaciated to the core,
with failing heart and fading sight.
No will to live or win this fight.

Her mother sat beside her bed.
A string of endless prayers she said,
but through the night she cried bereft
because her darling girl had left.

So is society to blame?
Yes, we should hang our heads in shame.
This twisted world that we live in
despises fat and honours thin.

As parents we should fight the fight
and be our children’s guiding light.