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Pledge This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine.


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From this point forward
I will not stand
to be unhappy
any longer.
I will not stand
to be broken down,
broken apart,
broken-hearted.
From this point forward
my success does not depend
on my waistline
and my strength does not depend
on my weakness.
My biggest fear is not
the nutrition label.
From this point forward
I will not worry those
who love me.
I will not look at those
with hip bones
and rib cages
and be jealous.
I will not be afraid
to eat the birthday cake
you made me.
I will not measure
every morsel as if
any more would make
it poison.
From this point forward
food is not my enemy
and Ana is not my friend.
Size zero is not beautiful
and 90 pounds is not ideal.
I am no longer
enslaved by my scale
and it is not an awful day
when I weigh enough
to donate blood.
From this point forward
the only things coming
out of my mouth will be
words.
I will no longer be called
Disgraceful,
Disgusting,
Distasteful.
From this point forward
I am
Inspired,
Indestructable,
Independent.

This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine. This piece has been published in Teen Ink’s monthly print magazine.




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This article has 489 comments. Post your own!

IMAdreamerThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
today at 9:25 pm:
Strong, powerful, I lov it nice work! Ps. Pleaz check out my work!
 
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MilesC said...
today at 1:25 pm:

Quite a powerful pledge. The motivation and determination in your tone is heartening. Your personification of Ana was brief yet meaningful. Wonderfully subtle.

 

Many readers have commented on your use of "hyperbole", which is highly moving and powerful. The thing that I think makes this even more powerful is that in acutality, there is none.

 

There is no hyperbole in this poem.

 

That's what makes this pledge so powerful. The ... (more »)

 
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Jeret said...
May 2 at 12:57 pm:
Please keep your comments positive and constructive. We'll remove anything inappropriate. Thanks!
 
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Jeret said...
May 2 at 12:57 pm:
Please keep your comments positive and constructive. We'll remove anything inappropriate. Thanks!
 
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Sassy24 said...
May 2 at 10:24 am:
That was a really well written poem!  I absolutely love how the reader had to infer that you were talking about anorexia(: I liked the alliteration that wrapped it all up at the end.  I think you should write more poems!
 
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irishlass317This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
May 1 at 10:17 pm:
This is soooo amazing!!!! I love it!! <3
 
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SetiziaThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
May 1 at 3:36 pm:

Inspiring. Awe-inspiring. Powerful.

You've managed to speak out your deepest thoughts...something I can never do. Where do you find the courage and power to do so?

 
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RoseMadder95 said...
May 1 at 3:00 pm:
This piece really is inspiring. I love how you used a repetition of words (broken down, broken hearted) and i also loved how you stayed true to what you were saying and didn't use metaphors to say some of the statements you made. Most people would beat around the bush on a subject like this, making their pieces confusing. You didn't do that. Whatever you do, keep writing. I'd like to see more of your work. :)
 
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**melanie_K** said...
May 1 at 2:37 pm:
The end had lots of good alliteration! I love this poem because it is very moving for  people with anorexia.
 
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woodley419PSNGamertag said...
May 1 at 2:37 pm:
I loved how you used the alliteration because alliteration is a tongue twister and I LOVE tongue twisters. I also liked the the poem because its kind of like an epic poem because you are talking about your selj and how you are going to get stronger instead of geting weaker. GOOD JOB!!
 
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Collin said...
May 1 at 2:29 pm:
I think this is a very inspirational poem. There are alot of people that should read this. Love it.
 
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Jordan T. D. said...
May 1 at 2:25 pm:
This was a great poem and had great figurative language. It is the best poem that I have ever read. The verses were great and the poem all together was amazing.
 
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Connear M. said...
May 1 at 2:23 pm:
I love how use "I will" a lot to make the poem dramatic. Your use in alliteration was outstanding and made me just feel astonished. Also I must state the way you used the cliches was just amazing to me. You, my friend, have a future in writting and if it weren't for those cliches, this poem would have that pazazz in it. I also noticed that you contradicted the begining phrase by using it agian at the end, very thought out and was just...it can't be described in words. This poem inspired me ... (more »)
 
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book lover said...
May 1 at 2:20 pm:

I wish i could do poetry like this. i love how you had a a really good rythym which keeps the people still reading. I can't wait for your next submission!

 

 
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alieva said...
May 1 at 2:10 pm:
I really loved how you used metaphors in this poem. You made me feel more inspired and confident about who I am. Each stanza was great with describing who you were and how you were going to change.
 
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Chubby Dawg said...
May 1 at 12:47 pm:
I lovedyour poem. It was good with a huge "BOOM"! Keep up the good work.
 
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T-Plush 2 said...
May 1 at 12:37 pm:
This is soooo good! I really like the big simile you gave to everyone about your life and weight. Also your verses were good.
 
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Kaylah said...
May 1 at 12:34 pm:
  I think that people should follow this because I think that it is a very good thing to think about and I also think that you used good personification and I think that you also used a good stan
 
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SORECROR1234 said...
May 1 at 10:36 am:
This poem was really good. It showed how you wouldn't be afraid and how you would stand up for yourself. There were a lot of verses, too many actually, I think you should've made them stanzas instead. I think making the words rhyme would have made the poem much more interesting. There were also some good metaphors in there too.
 
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Alex M. said...
May 1 at 10:36 am:
I really loved the confidence that you put into this piece. Every verse meant the same thing, but you told it in a different way each time and that was amazing. With that amazing imagery, it felt like I was living your life alongside you. Overall fantastic poem!(:
 
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Erin said...
May 1 at 10:30 am:

I like the poems message of excepting yourself for who you are. I also think that using some rhyming but not a ton really gives the peom charactor.

Nice job!!

 
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HHHpaintball said...
May 1 at 10:27 am:

i loved how u did this! i cought the rythim of the poem very quickly.

 

 
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CamCam<3 said...
May 1 at 10:21 am:
I loved your poem!!!! I liked how you used metaphors to compare what you used to be to who you are now. WOW I could totally feel your strength as you were writing this piece. I also thought it was cool how your poem was like one giant stanza :D
 
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why do u care said...
May 1 at 8:05 am:
I like the hyperbole and the metaphor.  I like the hyperbole that the only thing to come out of your mouth would be words.
 
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why do u care said...
May 1 at 7:56 am:
I like the hyperbole and the metaphors.
 
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IndiloveThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
May 1 at 7:43 am:
Amazing job, this will really help people out there. They need this poem great work
 
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dancing in the rain said...
Apr. 23 at 7:22 pm:
Gave this to my struggling best friend and now, we're both doing our best to follow it. I love this. Gave us both hope. <3
 
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JPanda13This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 18 at 5:13 pm:
I know i've already commented on it, but i cant help but reading it over and over agin. We all live by this unspoken rule that if your not skinny, your not pretty. But we all know its not true. But we still worry about our weight and try to fit in with the skinny popular girls. Omg! i cant even describe how much i love this!!!
 
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JPanda13This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 11 at 10:46 am:
this is amazing. So many people, including me, worry about living up to other peoples standards. we lead our lives worrying about our weight and being fat. Im not saying that im not gonna worry any more, but it is such a good reminder of what i already knew about not worrying about being fat and dieting at the age of thirteen. I LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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saryachanThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 9 at 11:10 pm:
god lord, that's something that i wish i could do myself. completely astounding.
 
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CreativeAngelThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 9 at 6:19 pm:
wow! Very insperational and amazing. Keep up the poetry!
 
SweetSandyFlowerThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Apr. 9 at 9:37 pm :
i love this poem. very touching. It gives hope and inspiration
 
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dragonfly95This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 9 at 2:10 pm:
beautiful, just beatiful, very inspired and i live it! check out my work please, thanks!
 
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LovelessWriter1090This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 9 at 7:30 am:
Yeah! Give it up for you,honey!
 
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Sica21This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Mar. 30 at 8:36 pm:
WOW!!! AMAZING!!!!!! DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITES!!! :3
 
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Lizla said...
Mar. 18 at 8:17 pm:
I loved this piece! So desolate, yet hopeful, love, love, love it. Stay strong, girl! Check out my work too?
 
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RunningGingerThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 25 at 11:03 pm:
I had a cousin that went through this, and now couldn't be more handsome... It's good to see him strong, healthy, and loving life. This is very powerful, and im going to show it to my friends who think they are "fat," though they are some of the skinnyest people I have ever met.
 
Moee1This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Mar. 18 at 6:58 pm :
please go check out my poetry PLZ
 
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MysteryWoundsThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 25 at 10:54 pm:
you made me cry <3 im glad you're stronger now :D
 
Moee1This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Mar. 18 at 6:58 pm :
please go check out my poetry PLZ
 
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scenesoccerqueenThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 25 at 8:23 pm:
Very inspirational and true!!!!! I am so glad you've changed your outlook and this is a great poem also! Keep writing!
 
Moee1This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Mar. 18 at 6:59 pm :
please go check out my poetry PLZ
 
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julialove94This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 3 at 11:10 pm:
Absolutely amazing. This was so powerful, so true, so inspiring. I love it! Thank you for writing this
 
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matt.bullen said...
Feb. 3 at 6:45 pm:
THAT WAS AMAZINGLY POWERFUL!!!
 
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AngRodrig said...
Feb. 3 at 3:17 pm:
This was amazing and inspiring! Truly a pledge for all teenage girls. Please check out my poem "The Social Network (The Modern Monster)" !
 
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WhatislibertyThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 3 at 2:39 pm:
how inspirational!!
 
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White_Trash843This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 3 at 4:12 am:
Great Job and congrats on the mag!!! you have talent keep writing..!
 
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Ella1This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Jan. 12 at 8:01 pm:
Wow, this is really good. One of my close friends had an eating disorder. I understand what you went through. It takes a lot of guts to come out about it and decide that you are going to change once and for all. Would you mind reading my poem A Portal, Pink Watch, and Perpetual Sea if you get a chance? Thank you so much and keep writing
 
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LashontiThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Jan. 12 at 7:16 pm:
This was really good. You can hear the stength in your poem. Keep up thee good work =)
 
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SnowiThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Jan. 12 at 5:59 pm:
Well, don't we all need a starting point to be us? I love this. and i take it as insparation to be who i am. thanks. i owe you one or 100
 
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