my skin,

once the smooth page of a love poem,

now holds

parentheses in purple,

little commas across my belly,

a cruel edit

by the universe.

everyone warned me

about cravings,

cramps,

and unsolicited aunties with advice.

no one mentioned,

how i’d watch my body rearrange itself

like a couch no longer centered

in the living room.

they’re not “tiger stripes,”

please.

i’m not at war.

i’m just

becoming

something bigger

(literally, emotionally, hormonally).

these marks?

they itch like a bad punchline—

but damn if they aren’t

also a reminder

that my body,

built a heartbeat.

and for that,

i’ll wear them like

jewelry only i can see.

like stars across a sky

that stretched

to hold a whole new world.

#stretchmarks #pregnancy #poetry