my mother is 5'3'' and 155lbs
of imperfect woman
yet she is unmistakeably beautiful
her stone age boyfriend
has convinced her
she is fat
and needs to spend $600/month
rapidly losing weight
on a program
designed for the morbidly obese.
my fist would like to renovate his face
for being so fucking blind
as it is those imperfections
that make her most beautiful
you see, those stretch marks he winces at
represent 9 and a half grueling months
of a selfless kind of love
he has never shown.
Author notes
prompt: stretch marks
A contest entry
- Dear Woman; Kiss of Strech Marks. by Mango Memories.
3000 points, ended November 14, 16 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 46 of 46
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RAW and Intense!
This was excellent!
wow how much your words related to me..
reminds me of my mother and her boyfriend!
Awesome job!
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Haha, is she my ex's new girlfriend?
Good stuff. -
bravo.
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it is those imperfections
that make her most beautiful
Beautiful, strong truth. Thank you for being an advocate for your mother and writing this poem. This is strong. Great work and thank you for entering! Good luck! -
Stone age boyfriend, excellent. This is so well written, but I would take 'you see' out though, just a personal thing that i don't like reading in poetry, I read 'you see' a lot. Also, i love woman in the title. Not women. A really good choice there, I think.
Best of luck in the contest.
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a powerful releasing
A powerful releasing for sure.To have your thoughts pour into poetry has the ability to remind you of your humanity. I hope this has calmed you somewhat.
The Rivaling Mimic
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Your verbal fists knock me out with their pure power.
Such simple words bring so much harshness and the last line brings so much sadness.
A most excellent job!
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i salute you, Matt....even if this poem doesn't win gold, it will always be golden. simply wonderful!
~ Nicolette
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if you don't get gold on this...
amazing, beautiful work of art.
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Oh wow! This poem says so much about the beauty on the inside of women. You sure word a nice poem about your mom or if it was for the prompt it still was a lovely piece about women. Thank you for being able to read this.
Brook -
Gotta love some curves and find some pity for those who have not the wisdom to do so. I love the defensiveness here and the appreciation for the true beauty...both outward and inward. Nicely penned.
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fat
I've been wondering why it is that people always criticize others for what they think getting mad at them for criticizing others for what they think...it's a vicious cycle...let be what is and what isn't leave open for interpretation...perhaps it's not the weight-loss that's the problem but self-esteem-weight-gain...if she's fat...admit it...if not, admit it...either way be comfortable with who you are and don't change who you are for anyone else...tell them to deal with it or ship out and if they ship out may they meet a tsunami on their way to their next lay-down!
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Great write here. I can see why it's been so popular.
I'm not sure why, but I did not find that the last line had the impact of the rest of the poem. I can't put my finger on it (wish I could as I would try to offer an idea.) Could just be that the poem is so powerful and in your face, and the last line seems to be repeating something that is assumed from the poem.
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Wow! Matt this is effing wonderful!
Every woman in the world is going to love you for this one.
How are you so mature? How are you so psychic? It's like you get inside women's heads and see exactly what they want. LOL. Or maybe... you just are really just that genuinely sweet.
Hmm...
You're a tough onion to peel sometimes. Back and forth between crude and sugary-sweet, I never know what to expect from you - except I know it will always be great!
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>.> This has really provoked emotions in me because I know how it is to give birth and have someone belittle you just because your body is not the shape sleek shape it use to be. Being full figured is a beautiful thing. We all come in many different shapes and sizes. If we were all intended to be the same we would be drones with little interest in love and life. Great job!
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Mango - this is my vote for Gold.
This is lovely. As the mother of a two month old, my stretch marks are a badge of honor, a way to forever connect me to my daughter. They are as beautiful to me (and my husband, incidentally) as she is. Thank you for giving that emotion a voice.
- Bean Sidhe
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AH how i love this.
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You are getting mad brownie points for this one... tell your mum I said well done lol.
Some powerful prose here, makes me want to rearrange that guys face, too. Good luck in this contest!
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yeah what she said. lol
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I went the same angle that you went and I think this represents a beautiful perspective into stretchmarks. I'm 5`2 and 143.
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I don't know how much of this translates to how you feel about your own women, but the write is insightful and filled with....dare I say... "righteous" anger. I've never been the one that wanted a barbie doll. Imperfections make us who we are, and I memorize scars as beautiful. Well written.
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Even the most beautiful women are full of self-doubt...I don't understand it, but at least there are some people out there who recognize beauty for what it truly is...a love for life and the ability to share that love unconditionally. Share this poem with your mother...
Love, L
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your like my living Bukowski, this was real poetry, reminds me of my mother. well done, by far one of my favorites.
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I am 5'4 and160 and am rather built. I would like your mother to know that outside beauty is about confidence not about strtch marks. Beauty is found in wisdom and strength and love not in smooth skin. I hate it when men in general chose to define beauty by how tight something is and won't allow women to be who they are.
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This is great. That whole stanza about where the stretch marks came from is profound. Few people ever look at things that way. This is a loving, strong, intelligent piece of writing. Good luck in the contest!
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My mom too. Her whole belly is covered with them, and she used to be ashamed and want to hide them. She's little like your mom, so pregnancy obviously took it's toll. Your mom's bf is an asshole. Tell her Jin said so, and find a guy who doesnt care about the little things, and will love her-stretch marks and all.
love,
jin
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awesome write matt. you're so brilliant. though still not as good as the secret penis poem.
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nothing will ever compare to that lol
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Has anyone ever told you how special you are?
I find it disconcerting that weasels like this exist, but reassuring that you are not one of them 
I loved “renovate his face” and the last stanza is amazingggg. So amazing in fact, that I don’t think you need the last line – it’s clear that she believes him because you already said she’s convinced. “a selfless kind of love / he has never shown” is a perfect ending. It captures how shallow he is, thinking that beauty is a physical thing while clearly failing to acknowledge that the origin of “imperfection” is a result of one of the most beautiful things in life. Again, what a weapon head!
Pretty sure that all the women of AP love you even more after this poem
Seriously though, the last stanza is so movingggg –impressive writing chump
On a different note, what was that coffee you told me to try? I got a white chocolate mocha this morning and it was TASTY
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thank you, that was a very nice comment!
if it was from starbucks it is the caramel macchiato you must try (make sure to get the low-fat one! lol jk)
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This is so sweet! I think its wonderful that you find your mother so beautiful. I think my mother is the most beautiful person alive. Thanks for a great write.
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damn selfish men. I had a girlfriend once who was told by her boyfriend she needed breast enlargement, I asked her if that's what she wanted, and she didn't but wanted to please the jerk. I told her tell him she'd get it done if he'd have his ego reduced. Effin loser. lol. They broke up after a short while and thankfully before she went through with it.
It takes a beautiful man to see the inner beauty, matt. Good for you.
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This is perfect! Having my daughter was the greatest blessing of my life...
Pregnancy does leave it's marks but never would I trade that once beautiful
body for my daughter!
She needs to read your poem and that will reassure her that she is perfect.
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A woman can always change her appearance (although she shouldn't have to ) but that man will never be able to change his stupidity.
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you are truly beautiful matty-cakes... but i still say punch the bastard for even suggesting your mum needs to change in any way. good luck in the contest
dee xx
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oh by the way........you are a great son, your mom should be proud of you...as for her boyfriend that is like this stone age...........tell her to tell him to taking a flying leap...........and im sure that ifs she is beatuiful, which she is, she can do better off..........alone............than a prick like this...............
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I enjoyed this write, and understand where your going with it........good luck in contest
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This is great. Punch that fucker and make a statue out of him in a lonely basement.
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I just feel a lot of emotion coming out of this, and it is so wonderful. Horribly bitter sweet kind of poems you have here... Its nice you can observe and learn from others mistakes though.
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A boys love for his mother; I adore this.
I adore the dedication to the offer of life.
You write, as always, with such ease but beauty - simplicity within imagery.
Stellar!
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wow. you are just so awesome. tis was an amazing write!
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the last nine lines of this truly make this phenomenal.
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Damn...you make me wince with your frank pieces but yeah I'd rearrange his face too, that kind of love in most cases only a woman understands but i think you do too C
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i grew up outnumbered by women. it helped me learn a thing or two
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Yanno I knew you were more than just a pretty face lol
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