Bent Out of Shape

There’s a space on my back where the
clasp of my bra strap
over time
has dug in   my skin in self defence
rose up and formed a lump
and slowly it calcified into bone

Cut to – me staring out from the bathroom mirror
unimpressed with the shape the underwire
is bending me into

Panic! In the produce

What is it about
the woolworths produce section now
that makes me so
unbearable
I try to hold myself still in this place with hands
but remain
all too erratic

With eyes darting beneath florescent lights     looking for what exactly
in so much plastic and a false metallic shine
covering apples and oranges
but what are they compared
to some kid                                                               standing to one side trying real hard
not to seem terrified of every other customer
idly squeezing avocados

I imagine myself joining the cherry tomatoes in their punnet
none of us feeling much like fresh food people

About the author

Pronouns: They/them
Bio: Lore White is a writer and artist based in Wollongong NSW. They work with a handful of local arts organisations including, Heroines Festival, The Wollongong Writers Festival, and are the Founding Editor of Baby Teeth Journal. Their poetry is often self reflective and a bit weird.

Shopping aisle photo by Fancycrave on Unsplash.
Bra strap photo by Kristaps Grundsteins on Unsplash.
Avocado photo by Charles 🇵🇭 on Unsplash.