maelynslavik

(YWP Editor's Note: Congratulations to Csquared! This poem is the November 2025 winner of  The Tomorrow Project's monthly awards!

you’re perfect.

all of you.

and i don’t need to say more

but i will

because i want to write about every one of you

Deft

Finicky

Supercilious

Pulchritudinous

Cassock

Dianthus

Diffident

Omnipotent

Ebullient

Jaunty

I pick at my face

on a daily basis.

Rub my fingers over

my acne scars and oily skin,

every unwanted mark

that supposedly makes 

me beautiful.

I try to convince myself