This Side of My Skin

This side of my skin is a book to be read.
There are stretch marks  telling the struggles of my weight.
Like my moods, there were highs, lows and everything in between.
Speckled everywhere is a giant connect-the-dots of freckles.
Some I’m sure is inherited from my mother,
The rest is from good times far too long in the sun.
Scars of all shapes and sizes are littered here and there.
Some visible and those from my years of clumsiness;
Others are hidden away like the demons I didn’t know how to fight.
There are tattoos strategically placed and each with a sub-story of their own.
All serving as reminders of what has made me.
Wrinkles and creases are becoming more visible to show year after year.
Most prominently traced across my forehead from my times of worrying;
More faintly they are appearing near my eyes as telltale signs that along with the worry,
there have also been many times to smile.
This book isn’t a beautiful fairy tale, but it’s my story to share.