Content warning: dysphoria, allusions to self harm.

Mangos sit on my chest closing off my lungs.
              Binders tight as elastic bands hiding them away.
Hoping soon enough they would shrivel up,
              like purple raisins and fall between the cracks.
An upturned nose with two dark olives. 
              Cheeks red like strawberries as the juice trickles down.
Face a green melon as I shower away the insecticide,
              Peach lips twisted into a permanent frown.
Cherry buds across my chin while I battled between
              man or woman beneath the peel.
Reflections taunting me every second.
              Repelling my eyes like a chopped onion.
Cut my lumps and curves into apple slices,
              and toss them into the compost so at least some good can come of it.

About the author

Mel Eaton is a non-binary creative writing student at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. They are studying creative writing and film study. They have previously been published in, Eloquence: 2015 Poetry Collection, Anvil and Lyre 2020, Oneiroi 2022, Windfall 2022 and Windfall 2023. Mel has worked alongside Green Hills Literary Lantern as a general editor and plans to go to Denver Publishing Institute to further their education into publishing and editing for small literary journals.

Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash.