Suffocating Carcass- Poem for Workshop

Suffocating Carcass 

It's hard to catch my breath sometimes,

knowing that the same air I

                                                                                            inhale

has been 

                                                         exhaled 

by people who tell me to stand with my legs apart,

and my stomach sucked in

so that my ribs show and there's a

mockery of a gap between my perfectly healthy thighs.

It's hard to catch my breath sometimes,

knowing that the same air I

                                                                                            inhale

 has been 

                                                        exhaled

by people who tell me to splatter maquillage

upon my face because natural beauty

isn't eye-catching enough. 

It's hard to catch my breath sometimes,

knowing that the same air I

                               inhale

has been 

                                                        exhaled

by people who convinced me that my bare self

is better with my stick like waist and 

my self made barbiesc features. 

And upon a sigh. and a gasp. 

With acceptance I breathe my own 

air. Only caring that it's my breath

that is being exhaled out.