She’s got a 22 inch waist
An 35 mm neck warm to the touch
the stage is 12 x 12 and doll houses
never have enough rooms
a pinch is less than a millimeter
you are four inches shorter than you were
standing on your toes shaving shame
anorexics cannot compare themselves
pounds to kilo like bags of soft fruit afraid to rot
the human body used to provide basis for units of length
in Europe I was measured with altered tape
from metric to imperial and back again
pound, ounce, yard, foot, gallon, pint, inch
the mile ached over the acre and what
of the hector?
without metric equivalent, the renegades
convicted of offenses under Weights & Measures law
Metric Martyrs for a new century
disputed from afar (how far?)
here my feet are two sizes bigger
no bras for narrow backs exist in
the American Mid-West
in Malaysia my hair is blonde
in Japan they bleach out freckles
in Denmark I’m a short brunette
at night you look like a hallelujah
surrounded in magnolias
your beautiful cider heat
testifies truth
years are not weightless
sorrow heaviest
joy profits as clouds open
decide
your own measurement
Anorexia, and other body image disorders break my heart. Beauty is so much and as much in the soul and mind — and it is gut wrenching when a beautiful soul can not see it’s own beauty and value. I have been guilty many times of overvaluing the physical and missing the beauty of the spirit and mind. Truly, if I could take the pain of every soul so burdened so they could live peacefully with themselves, I would. I swear I would.
Training in dance I saw a lot of people with some kind of body-dysmorphia and it strikes me because it’s a societal-illness exacerbated by the media and our own loathing. I like writing about it and the concept of beauty because as a society we’re way off the mark. Men are hard-wired to over-value physical attributes, I see it every time a 17 year old girl in shorts comes into a Starbucks and all the middle-aged pot-bellied men lear, I feel like wearing a t-shirt that says ‘get a life’ but that would be mean wouldn’t it? 😉
Yeah, men are the devil. I think being mean to them is probably always a wise choice.
ha ha ha! I just get tired of the typical stereotypes of the middle aged man lusting after some unattainable nubile teen, but women can be mean!
As a middle aged man, let me just say.. i am kinda grossed out by teens.
Good. As well you should to be honest. I feel that way about teens (boys) it’s good to grow into our skin and out of our old skin.
If our affluent society was less concerned by superficialities in general and more concerned with the nuts and bolts of existence, we would all be much healthier.
AMEN! Oh I could not agree more!
I could agree more, but i’d probably pull something at my age.
You realize you make me laugh, right? Oh and WHAT? You’re not THAT old! (echo echo echo)
🙂 i’m pretty old. I”m glad I can make you laugh. Such supreme power comes with supreme responsibility. Next time I’ll don my spider-man cowl.
Plus you said it with the word ‘affluent’ we have so much and yet we want more and believe ourselves deserving. I know you are a politic-free zone so I will say the last bit in code (I hopest thee electione fareth wellst!)
I don’t mind political comments as long as they run in the same direction as mine 🙂 It’s God-free that I insist upon. The election is still all in the balance. Le Pire could still be elected through apathy and a refusal to vote for Le Moins Pire.
ha ha ha ha! I love it! Brilliant comment! Yes! Totally agree! Yep I’m with you there on the God-free too.
The last thing I want is people praying for me. When was the last time prayer did anyone any good?
I hear you, I hear that all the time around ‘these parts’ 😉
Nobody does that here, I’m pleased to say.
I have been contemplating the relativity of what many consider to be “beautiful”. What if we thought of beauty in terms of the warmth and sensuality of skin, fragrance, and the kind tone of a lyrical voice? This poem is amazing and one I will return to often. Thank you, Candice.
Ah you are so right my friend so right. I do believe we have it round the wrong way as far as what constitutes beauty and we need to consider the many myriads that create a full picture xo
Such a gut wrenching piece Feathers…men don’t have a monopoly on misogyny, we attack each other, judge and compete. It’s heartbreaking. <3
Ah you are so right my friend I truly think the worst is when women attack one another
It is…we have enough opposition…gotta stick together.
You are really good about supporting women and I really appreciate that about you – total respect
We really need to now…we are facing a huge challenge these days.
Agreed. In the last twenty years the only people who have hurt me have been other women, kinda tells you something as a feminist doesn’t it? I have learned that women can cut other women to the quick far worse than any man. Really telling. The only solution is to stand together not against one another.
Yes…I am referring to the political climate now, it is anti-woman, so harsh, we need to advocate for ourselves and minorities that are being harmed. Getting off my soapbox now! 🙂
Trump is anti-woman though I think Obama was a bit sexist, the vestage of his experiences I think they all are (Clinton et al) which is the reason women need to claim some of the political voice and power but just look at what they did to Wendy Davis when a woman actually did that? sigh. I definitely agree and stay ON your soap box not enough people care!
This is intriguing… I think a lot
about misogyny…am I misogynistic? I didn’t think so but do I objectify women, I am very into aesthetics which is obviously about the beautiful. Only the marvellous is beautiful as Breton said and women to me are a mystery to me and therefore marvellous. But I suppose this could be construed as misogynistic as it de-realises very real women. Hmmm maybe I need to do some soul searching.
Maybe you’re guilty of objectifying women a bit, as i can be too, it’s an interesting thing but that doesn’t make you a hater. I don’t think you are.
Well I prefer the company of women, I certainly don’t hate them, but maybe that says something about myself.
A male work colleague many years ago told me that there is no such thing as an ugly woman. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. I’ve never forgotten it.
This one got me. As a yoyo dieter all my life, my mental health in intricately wrapped up in my self image (stupid I know, especially for someone with an understanding of psychology). It pisses me off that society is SO ruled by measurements that I succumb to the norm and make myself feel terrible for not being a size 4. Thanks for the perspective 😊
Very poignant. I love how you brought in the example from all over the world. Though I do not know much of poetry, I really liked how it felt like it ‘built up’ then sort of crashed and calmed with the ending message. Lovely!
Such a painful obsession to have – whether internally or externally inflicted
Poignant. Just wow Candice, no words
Terrific!
MeaSure MakeXpectations
BEat limITaTioNs and
ExPectations
hAnds
dOwn
aNd
sMiLes
uP.. for those
wHo travEL fartHeR
thAn SeeN
BeFoRe
noW or
shorTer
thaN longeR
or whateVerS waYS
NoW DoEs GroW OR ShriNK..
iT’s thE insIDes thaT coUnT NoW
ouT when the flesh hiTs the mattRess
And NoW
DreAMs
cOMe FRuiTioN isReAL..
moRe Than meaSuRE ‘ForE..
Other than thaT2..
Hi.. Candice.. STiLL2
trying now how to get
Notifications for yoUr
Blog as tiMe sure gETs
aWay wHen thAT neVer exisTs now By,.:)
Why do you think you are not getting them? Quite a few people have said that. I can’t work it out. Every time I see one of your posts on FB I smile. You have a contagious effect of happiness, do you know how rare that is?
SMiLes my FriEnd..
i wish i knew why i wasn’t
getting your posts.. but it could
have something to do with how similar
this blog name is to the other one if i am
guessing correct that it has something to do
with who the Algorithm sorts
through what is or
is not shared
in terms
of spam
and stuff like
that.. perhaps the
Word Press team could
help.. but they usually help
better i understand if someone pays
for a Premium way.. of Word Press too..
but other than that i get Facebook Memories
of our Discussions past
and like an
Oven timer
i come
back..
and catch up.. so..
there is always a work
around it seems no matter
how long it takes to get back..
alWays worth it mY FriEnd staYinG
iN the Flow of Creativity as RiverS anD
Ocean wHOle STuFF shorEs even more..
hmm.. i make some folks
happy but it’s
also true
that the
more closed
minded folks.. including
so-called Family Friends
have FB de-friended me basically
for the reason of religion and how ironic that is…
considering.. even turn the other cheek and love your
enemy.. just an underwear photo for fun can scare the
BeJesus
out of
them..
quite
literAlly so..
as i expose the
Hypocrisy far and narrow
ass that’s the way the human story
goeS and growS in LiGht and DArk.. mY FriEnd..:)
Maybe try following me again? Oh how right you are btw about hypocrisy xxx
i Followed
you again..
hopefully
that will work.. my friend..:)
It happens with me too I don’t know why WP is so hinky!
Yes.. WP sTiLL
going whacky..
my Notifications
just froze up for
the second
time
in a week..
it took an update
by Word Press to fix
it a few days ago.. a little
bit of a pain but Email Notifications
sTiLL worKing to guide me back to
ongoing
convos
STiLL..:)
HeHe.. and Candice.. your comment
above about the Middle Aged Pot
Bellied Men… LeaRinG at the 17
year old girls in their shortie shorts
when they come into StarBucks
made me giggle..
i lOOk
at
FloWers
but not at shorts..
iT’s what mAMmals do.. suRe..
And bEhind my sHades.. i NoW too..
Catch Women oF aLL ages LeaRinG
aT mY Legs.. every wHeRe i go in Public..
approaching age 57 oN A DEViL’s
style NoW 6660
BirthDate2..
hmm..
too..
yes..
more
than
likELy
’cause ‘they’ move..
and ‘them’ too.. tHeRe is
morE to forM as esSenCe..
And A FloWer says more than
A
WorD NoW
NamED NoW
iNFiNiTy NoW..
ProbAbly.. the
reAson i don’t
lear is i don’t do Caffeine..
SuRe.. BlaMe
iT
oN
thE CoFFee..;)
If I were YOU I wouldn’t need to look at them because I’d have a gorgeous wife and yes I think I saw a pic of her in shorts. You’re not the type. You are filled with energy and light. You know how to love. You are not always yearning for the next buzz. You are the real good kind. That’s why she loves you, it’s deserved and beautiful just like her and you together. You are an entirely different animal to THOSE and mind you are neither old nor pot bellied this I know!
SMiLes.. mY FriEnd as
i may have noted beFoRE
in our Conversations i am
Diagnosed With Bi-Polar
not other wise specified
as i tend not to
even fit
the
craziest
of so-called
labels.. And yes..
with the intense focus
on one thing like writing 12
million words total online since
2010.. talking a whole lot about some
Kind of God even if that God equates to
Nature plUs way out of old timey books..
And.. of course.. spending 66 months
in Hell in the bottom floors
oF Dante Bi-Polar ways..
i Have enough love
to control lust
and being
close to
57 years old
and being married
to someone as beautiful
as my wife has kept me all out
of the headaches of potential uncontrolled
lust.. however.. i understand how powerful the
actual FeeLinG and SenSinG oF LuSt can GroW
as iT IS A Neuro-Chemical and Neuro-Hormone
reaLity of the BeASt we are as BeinG hUman
and Mileage varies from soft most
of the time to bore on hard
core as you know
what i mean..
thing is
Do you FeeL
whAt i mean in Libido
BeYonD RAinBoW Colors
Shooting aCross the Moon
without a Drop.. It’s LiterAlly True..
it’s Harder for some folks not to look than
it is for other folks like me to not look now.. no matter
HoW HiGh the SuN LiVes boRE HaRd iNside.. even More..
THeRe is an EntiRE UniVerSE of LuSt and LoVe and no doubt
FoLks on the Bi-Polar spectrum have eXploReD all ends of ThAT
Place and all around more than most folks.. so.. in other words.. i have
a great deal of sympathy and empathy for those who have difficulty controlling
their looks and more than that.. as it is both an innate issue and an environmental
continuing issue as Lust can be none or a ticking time bomb of destruction now too..
in even
worse
than
sex addiction
ways too.. although
i conquer that poTenTiaL
Monster with eases these days..
Advancing Age and A Beautiful Wife
does hELp but mostly the experience of Love
my FriEnd.. LuSt is GreaT but Love is better when iSreal..
and for those folks with hiGh OcTAne LusT and LiTtle Love there
are few
breaks
not to
look..
at least.. my FriEnd..
and sadly.. yes.. to lear
even unashamedly so as
folks are looking.. and it’s true
both myself and my wife are
products of requited
Bore oN HaRd
lust somewhere
done the
Ancestral
Line as we all are
my FriEnd.. Her Mother
And a Pacific Islander Sailor
off a boat.. My Catholic Priest 36
year old Grandfather and a 17 year old
Cajun Girl out of Priestly Parish Pews.. if not for
Long Hard Looks few of us would be here for the value
of luSt.. LoVe and LiFE no matter how we got here is StiLL HoW we Be..
on the other hand.. considering my Facebook Page goes by my Wife’s
name Katrina in variation of Katie Mia name shared.. whenever i get a
Facebook Request that says Hi Gorgeous or Hi Beautiful when her Face
is uP.. it makes my sKin Crawl and reminds me of all the White Middle Aged
Law Enforcement LooKing Martial Arts Privilege i have in 1020 LB Leg Pressing
Ass Kicking Potential too.. when i walk the Bar Parking Lot nights lone and fearless..
ain’t easy
being
a Woman..
never has been..
never will be for
we humans
are
animals and some
of us don’t have control of our Beast..
juST a FaCt and not much room for Alternative ones..
but never the less.. i alWays try to understand why.. why why why..:)
I think it’s good to search for meaning it’s also good to know how judged people can be by mental illness that’s why I stand here to shine a light on this and help people in whatever way I can by letting people know how wrong it is to judge others for mental illness they have the SAME value as anyone else. Hugs You are right it’s not easy being a woman but it’s not easy being human ! xo
YeaH BEinG HuMan
tHe ChALLenGe oF
A LifetiMe.. heHe…
Ha!.. i LovE DoinG FRedKU2..;)
Heck my friend I think you do ‘being human’ exceptionally well! I totally admire and like you – so you are doing something very right (plus you have a gorgeous wife who adores you … hello!!! You got it made!) xoxoxoxoxxoo
Yeah.. after
Five Decades
oF Practice..;)
Thank you..
Candice..
For Helping..:)!
Why is the world so obsessed with numbers and how they relate to beauty?
I KNNNNOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!! Right?
🤔😚
This speaks to me on such a high level. I’m overweight, yet all my life I’ve been tiny. When I look in the mirror at myself I see an elephant standing there dressed. I know I’m not disgusting, but I feel it.
My daughter Rowan is the tiniest young lady I e ever seen. I cringe when someone walks up to her at a BBQ or what not and tells her to eat another plate. Fuck you asshole. She was born this way. She’s gorgeous and you’re making her feel ashamed. Ashamed for just being who she is. Would someone really walk up to a fat person at a BBQ and tell them to stop eating? I never realized how idiotic even the smartest people can be.
I am so certain you are not disgusting at all in any way but I am sure that feeling that way is an awful and very hard feeling I would not wish upon anyone but many people have felt. You are not alone. It is so wrong that people rush to judge – they never should – without knowing what it feels like to stand in anothers shoes. I agree with everything you say. The words people use can DESTROY a person and who has the right to do that? You are so right. AMEN to that my friend.