Hunger

***TRIGGER WARNING*** This poem may be triggering for some people. 

Hunger
While the walls close in
We can do nothing but pity ourselves while our patience grows thin
As she grows thin
Learned hopelessness caught her within the confines of what she was given
She looks at the end
The exit
And wonders what wonders wait beyond the white light to greet her if she were to start putting up a fight
With all of her might, she might have been able to make it across the path and past the past
But When her family brought a fire extinguisher to her flame,
She could do nothing but reignite a 5th grade food fight
Tossing trauma across the lunch room
getting in trouble
At least someone will
Fill in the Blue period that she wishes she could hide from her story

She never fit in, so her main goal is to be thin
she finally fits in the size small shirt
Calls it the cape that moves her from zero to size zero
Apparently her parents still don't perceive the problem
They can't accept her mindset
that keeps her coming home from school with frostbite
They see weakness in not turning on the furnace
But It's been broken for a while, explaining all the cold shoulders
Instead of warmth
she fills her stomach with famine in the pursuit of being feminine
Starvation means:
bell curves like a biology class
being able to pencil dive without feeling like a cannonball

Funny how the belle of the ball is hiding in the house
Wants to go back in time to 11:59
Just for a bit
So that the blue dress will once again fit
Even if just for a minute
Smaller feet leave room for the glass slipper to slip
In the end, the watchmen were wrong
It's not a doomsday clock, it's just another day
We don't decay when we stray from the path
Being thin doesn't have to mean starvation
We can provide  for our body and our soul
Without fitting the mould
of a predetermined gender role that should have ended years ago

Michael Friedman is currently a 4th year social work student at Ryerson University, where he sits on the board of directors. Outside of class, Michael uses his creative abilities to create music, write poetry, get out of doing house chores, and supporting individuals with special needs. Having been through chemotherapy treatments after finding out he had Ewing’s Sarcoma, Michael has changed his attitude about life, and seeks to follow his life ambition of making music into a career, even if he makes pit stops here and there along the journey. Ultimately, Michael is hoping to continue working towards his goals, whether it be through working with individuals with special needs, or forming musical projects to push fellow musicians to explore their art (such as his main band Six at Best, who are currently in the studio). With friend groups and a family like Michael’s, adventure is never too far away.