This is the Poem You Need to Hear Right now
Once is a while, you stumble onto words that feel like the author went far into the depths of your soul and unearthed secrets about your insecurities, not to expose you but to free you and heal you. That is exactly what I felt when I found Natalie Patterson’s poem entitled “Beautiful Body”.
This poem sounds like a a spell to cast away your self loathing demons.
Like an incantation
Like a lullaby
Like a serenade.
My favorite quote in the poem? “I am my own favorite song that I am just now learning all the words to”
Here is the transcript of the poem
Beautiful Body
She said
“You have a beautiful body”
I could not comprehend the words
It was the first time in my entire life I had ever heard these words placed together and directed at me
When im confused I take big ideas and break them into smaller pieces
Make them tiny enough to fit my world into
You have a beautiful body
YOU
Meaning me
Meaning Natalie Patterson
Daughter of joe frank and lynne
Meaning mid west American black girl
With skin and eyes light enough to confuse her own kind
Meaning my own kind don’t recognize me
You have a beautiful body
HAVE implies ownership
meaning I natalie Patterson own something I never paid for
meaning somethings are free
meaning I didn’t earn it so I don’t know the value of it
Might abuse or take it for granted
You have a beautiful body
A meaning one
Meaning I natalie Patterson own a single thing
One irreplaceable thing that does indeed die
You have a beautiful body
BEAUTIFUL meaning pleasing or satisfying
Meaning I am appealing and desirable
Didn’t know that
Have always been pretty with a “but If you only” attached
Never been just beautiful
Stated as fact
You have a beautiful body
BODY meaning physical structure
A place the spirit is held in
And i have never held even my lovers long enough to be good at it
You have a beautiful body
I will repeat these words until I am no longer reluctant
Until these words are a given
Until they are no longer foreign in my mouth
I will repeat these words
I have a beautiful body
I have a beautiful body
I have a beautiful body
Until ownership becomes a privilege
Until this skin becomes a perfect home
Weathered and worn over time
A perfect home
Whose walls I know well
Whose stair case
And old floors creak my favorite song
I am my own favorite song that I am just now learning all the words to
But I wanna sing you
Sing you til the song sticks
I have a beautiful body period.
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Dany Isabelle Masado View All
Isabelle Masado writes about body compassion on her blog "The Dear Body Project". She knows all too well that the personal is the political, is the community. As such, there is no discussing body compassion without talking about the assault on black bodies, trans women, and people with disabilities. Her mantra is, "How can I live in a way that makes room for you too"? She writes to examine, to heal, to redeem.
