CW: Eating Disorder
by Maria Jenkinson
Prisoner in your body
The knuckle of your wrist,
your jawline, angle of your pelvis
your skeleton exposes
a feeling euphoric.
Your bones your bars,
when you run your finger
along your collar bone
you are lost in ever
diminishing cycles
of control.
Restrict
Exercise
Shower
Repeat
Don’t eat
Repeat
Repeat
The trophy of your own bones,
the goal of another pound.
by Maria Jenkinson
Invisible tattoo
When the pressure eases
my trust remains depressed
always an impression
is left
A scar from the stress
of survival known as trauma
a self-preserving depression
showing me how well I coped
when I had little hope
you would recover
and it stays permanently
inked into me
just in case I need to be
reminded not to feel
again
to stay numb
again
Kate Jenkinson is a UK-based, aphantasic poet; she won the Manchester Literature Festival’s Poetry Slam and was runner up at Your Place International Slam in 2021. She has been published in Covid and Poetry, Rainbow Poems, Good Dadhood and Eyeflash Magazine. Kate creates poetry oases for connection and reflection and enjoys performing at open mics whilst working on her pamphlet. Themes include science, nature, relationships and she has a body of work expressing her love for her daughter, whose art accompanies these poems.
Maria Jenkinson is a young artist based in the UK. Her artistic journey has led to a variety of themes and styles, in particular reflecting the pain of stifled creativity meanwhile working through an Eating Disorder. She has been commissioned to produce many personal pieces and expresses her creativity through mediums such as colourful acrylic and oil paints, detailed pencil work and renovating furniture. As a young artist she is still working on developing her signature style. She can be found on Instagram @art_in_the_raine.