My Sister's Waist

The apple, the snake and Eve

A bite of the apple sent her right to her knees

She picked up the snake and turned it into tape

Wrapped it round as much body as she could take

Punched in numbers of what she just ate

Benchmarked against her sister’s waist

She cried,

My curves, too stubborn, they just cannot hide!

My bones, too strong, they just are too wide!

She sat in paradise and continued to cry

All of the magazine’s diets 

Self-punishment turned into a habit

No CBT, therapy or Adam’s earth

Could ever mend her broken self-worth.

Alia Al Shamsi is half Emarati, half Italian born and raised in Dubai. She is a published author and artist with a background in Photography and Psychology.