To The Girl In The Pool, by Anne S. Kaplan

One of the sections in Fat Poets Speak 2: Living and Loving Fatly is called Across the Generations. The poets whose works appear in this section say, in effect, "It does get better." A very important message for fat girls to receive, indeed.

So here is Anne S. Kaplan's poem entitled To The Girl In The Pool. How I wish that someone would have said these words to me when I was growing up.

And Anne, for the record, at 60, I am now a fat old lady. Let's hear it for the fat old ladies, and the young fat girls who will learn from them!

To The Girl In The Pool                             Anne S. Kaplan

You walk by me in the pool, an image of sadness.

As much as you seem to be trying to be invisible...

I see you.

Your head down, shoulders hunched,

eyes hidden beneath bangs,

round body sheathed in solid black...

I ache for you.

You return to your family on deck

Laughing, colorful, carefree, happy,

And not a roundness among them.

They're not like you.

Your story will never be known to me,

But I do know being surrounded by family

yet feeling so different, so unincluded.

I know your alone-ness.

I weep for you.

You and I never spoke a word

I didn't know how to approach.

Yet rue the comfort and hope I didn't share.

Would you have listened to the fat old lady

who cared for you?

You will come to know some things I've learned:

That being different is more than OK,

love and beauty come in all sizes,

and your lifejoy asks no changes

save your own beliefs about your loveliness.

Across space and time,

I celebrate you.

Copyright 2013, Anne S. Kaplan