I know you mean well
When you complement
My body,
It is the praise
You are longing to hear
About yourself.
The thing that makes you elated
Beyond any other achievement.
As if your other achievements
Aren’t saving lives and healing the world.
But your words
Drag me
Back to a place
Where I was not happy
When my body was never good enough
And I had that confused
With my worth.
This is why
I cannot bring myself
To feed into your need
For body praise,
I am fighting a battle
To prove
Your kindness, your empathy, your strength
Are what deserve your elation.