Wax Poetic by Julia Johnson

I see pictures of women in shorts and gasp aloud “but your scars! In the sun!”

Before I remember that not all women carry scars 

Not all women have hidden their thighs from wandering eyes to avoid further damage

Not all women have covered their flesh in shame.

And there are women with scars who lay them to embrace the warmth and joy of the summers rays with no shame or guilt

There are women with deeper scars, fresher scars and wounds still left to heal.

There are women with invisible scars, unviable scars and scars that engulf their entire being.