Misplaced Stiches

36-24-36

This is the ideal figure of a woman

Measurements that bring Barbie to life in the global spectrum

Breasts no smaller than apples

Waist no wider than a plate

Hips no thicker than a chair

I’m 38-25-38

Oops you didn't make it

But I know someone who can get you there

A surgeon.

The man in the white coat,

He knows a woman’s beauty best.

Playing god with a black marker,

Guiding the knife on the path to perfection.

Creator.

Possessor of the scissors.

Sculptor of the jaw bones

Constructor of the eyelids

He has made the mold

And we are in awe of it

Women appalled by his tricks

1000 different ways to

cut this, snip that, pull this back.

Again!

Again!

Again!

Again!

14 million procedures a year

and climbing!

$10.4 billion in jobs well done.

I have to get rid of this curve

Rhinoplasty, surgery of the nose.

I know once it's over I will see a prettier me.

Blepharoplasty, surgery of the eyelids

Now if I could just get rid of that butt chin

how smoother will my complection be?

Mentoplasty, surgery of the chin.

Are my ears too big? I’ll fix them anyway

Otoplasty, surgery of the ears.

I’m still one procedure far from Barbie!

Rhytidectomy, surgery of the face.

Perfection’s best trick

is hiding under your skin

So you nip, tuck, and pick

at what's almost within reach.

When will the cold stainless metal,

remind your skin of a new tolerance?

Who will craft your vision board?

One more, and your nose will be broken, beautiful.

One more, and your skin will reminisce of wrinkles.

One more, and your body will forget it resided in ugly skin.

One more cut, because the last one wasn’t deep enough.

One more doctor, because this one can do what the last one couldn’t.

A really talented one can hide your scars.

Or maybe even what was said on the swing set

or during the fight that was only pretend

the words of your unrequited crush

below the yearbook photo of an old you.

Can you remember

stitches don’t fix anything

if they’re not in the right places

Can you forget

you never gave yourself time to heal?