Beauty By Heart
By Tiara Liz Soto
There are many stigmas surrounding body image and beauty standards to the point where it has become underestimated. This poem is written through the lens of a girl who experiences it but finds strength to overcome it.
Eyes set on the defining shards of glass
“This is beauty, I’m beautiful,” painfully wished
Happy little girl that appeared in her outer world
But what is beautiful?
An illusion of perfection pressed onto the souls
The souls of our young girls, our young girls who hold the world in their hands
Her powerful way of words, her curvy body, and her tight shoulder length curls
All with a warm smile that shines in the dark for those close to her
But no confidence fills her lovely soul
The beauty that lies in every piece of her, the beauty she wears unknowingly
Working out until every bone aches
Counting calories excessively in order to fit the mold
Baggy clothes to hide her fears
Straightening hair to avoid natural embrace
Little girl, yes me, beautiful you shall see
Promise to not hurt me and change you a minute longer
Promise to love me a little more each day
Promise to show me kindness just as you do in the outer world
No more mask, no more shame
My story, her story, to every girl in doubt of her shine
We are beautiful stars aligned by heart and scars
Eyes set on the defining shards of glass
“This is beauty, I’m beautiful,” confidently proclaimed
Happy little girl that appeared in both her worlds
Girls Write Now On the Other Side of Everything: The 2023 Anthology
Do you know what it’s like to communicate with your family across a salty ocean’s divide? Do you want the sun and moon to enter your home with stories written in embers? Do you seek voices that will punctuate the darkness? Welcome to the other side of everything. It’s the other side of silence, the other side of childhood, the other side of hate, the other side of indifference, it’s the other side of sides, where the binary breaks down. It’s a new paradigm, a destination, a different perspective, a mindset, a state of openness, the space between the endless folds in your forehead, hopes for tomorrow, and reflections on the past. This anthology of diverse voices is an everything bagel of literary genres and love songs, secrets whispered in the dark of night, conversations held with ancestors under the sea.
Process
Powerful work comes from the art of taking our own personal stories and incorporating them within. That said, my inspiration for this piece came from my own struggles with body image and lack of self esteem. I was inspired to not only take my story of struggles and strength, but also to uplift other young girls who may be in the same shoes when reading it. The piece starts off by having the portrayal of a young girl who painfully desires beauty but hides it when she is surrounded by others. As the poem progresses, more is shared about what makes her ordinary and beautiful in her own ways in which it is revealed that girl is me and my story. I wanted the piece to come full circle as to me wishing to be beautiful but realizing that beauty is intertwined into my kindness filled soul which is reflective when I talk to myself toward the end. Most importantly as I created this piece I learned that I am not alone and share these same struggles with many other’s. “We are beautiful stars aligned by heart and scars”, we share kind souls but similar pain.
Tiara Liz Soto
Tiara Soto is a teen activist who strives to implement her passions for a better world through her everyday life. She loves giving back to her community through volunteer work. Tiara aspires to start up an organization in the near future centering around mental health awareness with a focus on the arts. She also dreams of writing her own book to inspire others with her life story. Tiara was named Teen Honoree in 2021 by Step Up and was presented the Inspiration Award by Mandy Moore. She is also a 2021 New York State Senate Youth Leadership Award recipient.
