Armour~ By Jennifer Marie Brissett

the fat that encircles your waist
fills out your booty
rounds out your face
the fat that covers you isn’t you
& you are not the fat
your body  
simply holds you inside
you become   
                                            lighter
 
when you decide not to hate
the weight that takes on a new texture
thickens and smooths
cool as metal
taunts slide off your skin
bullshit ends at your breast plate
one hand—a shield.
the other—a mace
another weapon wield by your mouth
a tongue sharper than a spear
You are a warrior.
and all your battles
will make you
Stronger.
Now slay.    


Author Bio:
Jennifer Marie Brissett is the author of ELYSIUM (Aqueduct Press). She recently completed her second novel ELEUSIS and has begun working on the third and last novel in the trilogy, ERINYES. Her work has been a finalist for the story South Million Writers Award, the Locus and Tiptree Awards, and has won the Philip K. Dick Special Citation. Her short stories can be found in FIYAH Magazine, Fantastic Stories of the Imagination, Lightspeed, Motherboard Vice, Uncanny, The Future Fire, the anthology APB: Artists against Police Brutality and other publications. And once in her life, long ago, she owned and operated the Brooklyn indie bookstore called Indigo Café & Books. She currently teaches and writes and lives in NYC. Find her online at www.jennbrissett.com