Mrs. Sherbalined

Her plump arms stirred large pots of soup

Underarm fat rubbed against her armpit harshly

as she stirred stews.

For the many people who ate at her home, free of charge,

Mrs. Sherbalined only served soup in bowls that were large.

They never realized what a feat it was for her to stir.

Her fat arms skinned against skin, burned like rubber.

But for the sake of inner beauty and generosity’s good,

she sacrificed rash and blisters and did the best she could.

She stirred and stirred for decades

making delicious soups.

Soup getters awed that someone with cumbersome arms

never showed self-hate and hunkered down on charm.

Over the years, she tripled bowl sizes and gave people prizes,

and her arms went from dimpled and lard heavy… to sticks of skin.

Her arms more slowly than ever, still stirring for inner beauty,

for as long as she could give.

Until bone fragments began to jut and show through her skin.

Then people around town came to take a glimpse,

at inner beauty embodied in bones that wore thin.

Written and Illustrated by:

Almavida 2012

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