The Juncture of Skin and Bone

Ripples of rib, moving smoothly over hills of bone,
an expansion of skin dipped and concave. such
irregular habits give way to soft sinking
skin, mountainous ridges piercing through malnourished flesh like
enamel slowly leaking out bone; traitorous and seemingly backwards.

Always shrinking—hunching inwards due in part to
will and the structured stretch of spine.
and what simple thought ever plagued the soul, until
ridicule spilled from pore and pore,
enabled and assiduous.
now plastic measuring tapes
entrap bare imperfect waists, pulling tighter, tighter, and tighter
still. stripping the skin clear with gut wrenching heaves,
spilling acidic bile over sterile porcelain floors.

and it's never enough.