“The Body Museum”

This poem was originally published on The Pittsburgher’s predecessor, The Dog Door Cultural.

i have a problem with self portraits because i can’t draw

using ballpoint bent in disarray or disobedience

can’t see quite right and do i trust

mirror or camera light or eyes

to capture stomach and which is accurate

glory or gore purity or protrusion

i have a problem with charcoal pencil on paper i keep

trying same starving but stomach

can never absorb all toxins

never grow eyes know self for self ▲

April Bannister is an undergraduate student studying English and Creative Writing at the University of Iowa. She enjoys writing across all genres, especially within a mental health focus, and hopes her words can inspire awareness on the subject.