I just want to be myself
Completely myself, always
Not pieces of myself

I think about the women who barely smile in pictures
Who never light their "fancy" candles
Who always say no to seconds and dessert
Who refuse to wear their real diamond earrings 
And never go swimming because of how they think their legs and butt look in a swimsuit

How do you stand it?
I grin so big my face hurts
I never have fancy candles
My dirty diamonds still sparkle
My legs are chalk white and my hind end is fat
But I won't let that stop me

I will always laugh too hard
Too loudly
Too long
And probably snort and get myself started again

I get BBQ sauce and powdered sugar all over everything I own and I don't even care
I will make cookies just for me
And I will post ridiculous memes
And bad poetry
And I will text you inappropriate jokes all hours of the day and night
Because sometimes I can't sleep
The moon knows there are things I'm not finished thinking about

It has recently occurred to me
That I deny myself nothing
And why should I 
My happiness can come first

And if I want to sing while I cook
And dance while I brush my teeth
And not mop my floors for two weeks
It's ok
I can do that

And if I had a tail
I wouldn't hide it
It would just be one more way
To express my happiness

Why are you so scared 
Of showing your true self
Who has a right to judge you
To determine how you should feel
By their gauge

Fling your confetti high
Higher
Until your spine pops
And you break into giggles
And you roll on the grass
Watching the bees work the clover
And you think at last
This is true freedom
This is what we were promised

And now you know
Why I smile so big
And laugh so hard
And I wear my diamonds
And I burn my candles
And I always say yes to cake