Life In, Life Out
Poem #289 • When the goal to be beautiful becomes torment
At the end of the hall of preparation
in front of the door to a life wide open
light fades into one concentrated streak
A bare-chested woman observes the shadow of her figure on the wall
wondering if by peering through the peephole she’ll know how to receive the life outside
she can’t tell for sure if she’s pretty
As her dark outline oscillates between the way she is and what she could be
in the thin sliver of light
she wonders when her goals to be beautiful became torment
what gave her the why
and when was self-reflection kissed goodbye
Don’t let being fearfully and wonderfully made turn to vanity
2 Corinthians 4:16
“Do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
There is a place for beauty
flesh is not a shield
it is a cover to the soul
whether in leather or paperback
take the time to make sure the outside is a reflection of the bullet of conviction
from your heart to the back
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For more of Grant Hope, you can find books, audio visual poetry, and his “Poetry Respite” newsletter at his website: granthopestudios.com
The line about beauty becoming torment really stayed with me. This felt less like a poem about appearance and more like a reflection on identify, pressure, and self worth
she wonders when her goals to be beautiful became torment” is such a heavy line because so many people silently live inside that question. I appreciate that this poem doesn’t reject beauty, but instead challenges the moment when self-worth becomes dependent on it. The ending felt grounding and honest.