by Janet Kuypers

Published in Issue No. 3 ~ April, 1996

When he met me
he told me
I looked like
Kim Basinger
long blonde locks
but as time
wore on I knew
I wasn’t her
and I could never
be her and I was
never good enough
thin enough
pretty enough
I got a perm
straightened my
teeth
bought a wonder
bra but it wasn’t
doing the trick
I bought slimfast
used the stair
stepper ate rice
cakes and wheat
germ but I wasn’t
thin enough I
only dropped
twenty pounds
so I went to the
spa got my skin
peeled soaked
myself in mud
wrapped myself
in celophane
bought the amino
acid facial cremes
but I knew they
didn’t really
work so I went to
the doctor got my
nose slimmed
my tummy stapled
my thighs sucked

thought about
getting a rib or two
removed
like Cher
but I figured
they’ve got to
be there for
something
and hey, that’s
just going
too far

account_box More About

Janet Kuypers is employed as an Art/Production Editor for a publishing company in Chicago. She was educated at the University of Illinois, where she received her baccalaureate in News/Ed. Journalism, with a minor in Photography. She has published over 600 pieces of her writing and over 150 pieces of artwork. Janet Kuypers is the editor/publisher of the literary/art magazine children, churches and daddies. She has had two books published, a hope chest in the attic (and the window), and is a graphic designer by day. At night, she sings with a band.