1 Peter 5: 5-6

at 8

my body is not a body but a stumbling block

to men, to boys,

to strangers, to cousins,

to the fathers of friends.

to hide

to prevent temptation.

my body is not a body but an invitation

for comments

for opinions

for touches

for translating my no to yes.

at 14

my body is not a body but a cautionary tale

to other girls that think

that the way our hips

e x p a n d

would have no barring

on us being good girls.

my body is not a body but a hazard

to other girls that might think

that the way we feel

about each other

might be

undeniable

might be

okay.


at 19

my body is not a body but a cage

to escape

to climb outside of

when what is happening

is too hard to face.

my body is not a body but a shell

to retreat into

to weather the storm

to keep the soft things safe.

at 23

my body is not a body but a project

to improve

repaint and reconstruct

to make small.

my body is not a body but a rebellion

to share

with whomever i please

to be wielded

and experienced.

at 30

my body is not a body but a home

to settle into

to adorn

to delight in.

my body is not a body

it is a revelation

that i am still here.

Tory Walters (she/they) is a writer from Charlotte, North Carolina interested in interrogating grief, identity, and passion through the lens of deconstructed faith. Tory is inspired by the possibilities that exist when the carceral logic of a good/bad binary is thrown out and new worlds are created.  

SISTORIES PROMPT
Respond in your journal or leave a comment below.

Reflect on your experiences moving through the world in your body over time. Are there any ages that stand out in particular? Trace what moments, interactions, and sensations you experienced that influenced your understanding of your body and yourself at those ages.

Next >