Body Armour: From Gymnastics to Scoliosis
“He traced my spine. It turned out to be curvy, a little snake made of bones.”
You have to be flawless. You have to be graceful. You have to be skinny. You have to be the best. Perfection is the ultimate goal.
Diana
EeeeeE
E
“Now on the scale!”—
“Higher!” “Slower!” “Bend more!”
“She is like modelling clay,” “You can make her do whatever you want,”—
“Endure! Don’t stop! Hold it!”“Carry on, Paola. Don’t mind the pain, the performance is what matters.”
how have I done it, why didn’t I rebel?.
“It suits you.” “It matches the way you move.” “It’s the most elegant.”
“Listen to the music!” “Count!” “Wait!”“Be still!” “Make the closure!” “Smile!”
Paola Moretti, 1990, lives in Berlin since 2009 with brief interruptions to study elsewhere. She recently obtained an MA in Creative Writing at the Birkbeck University of London. She works as an author for several Italian magazines such as Nero On Theory, Yanez Magazine, Esquire, and Il Tascabile. She teaches poetry and creative writing workshops in Italian and English.
Author Photo Credit: Claudia Ferri.
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