#JusJoJan 2019 Daily Prompt – Jan. 8th

A big Hello and Happy New Year to Ritu from But I Smile Anyway who is our word prompter today. She has chosen SELF.
https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/24840312/posts/2127706673

I started this post hours ago, went out and have come back with a totally different idea.
I wrote a poem way back in 1983 entitled Self on Self, which summed up exactly what I felt about guys judging a book by its cover and my own low self-esteem.
I tweaked it and renamed it for a blog post in February 2014.
Hope you enjoy a recycled ditty:

 I am What I am

I’d describe myself as cuddly, not fat, but far from thin,
The diets I have tried in vain just made my bank balance slim.
But ‘He’ wants me skinny and arm candy, a Page Three pin up girl,
Eyes made up, no glasses, hair long and straight, no curl.
There’s thousands out there like me, wanting to put up a fight,
We’re tired of all this male aggro, so come on Girls, Unite!
It’s the men who want us to diet, dolly birds to show off and own,
An ego trip for their vanity, why can’t they leave us alone?
We may have boobs like melons, and double chins like Mother’s Pride,
Be broad across the beam as well, but don’t shame us by being snide.
We’re nearly always cheerful, and happy with our lot,
Comfortable in mind and body, making the most of what we’ve got.
We’re homely, reliable, loyal, with sincere warmth within our heart,
At peace with all and sundry, until your comments start.
Only then do we feel ugly, displeased with what we see,
Looking in a mirror thinking ‘Good grief, that lump is me’.
Ladies, tell yourself you’re gorgeous, lose the belly by breathing in,
If anyone’s worth loving, it goes deeper than the skin.
So for all you naive gentlemen, think of what you may be denied
By not looking beyond the wrapper, you won’t know what’s inside.