A Manual for the Correct Body - By Dominique McLean

Written By: Dominique McLean

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the poignant poem "A Manual for the Correct Body," Dominique McLean delves into the complex theme of self-image and identity. As a participant in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, McLean presents an evocative exploration of personal transformation and societal pressures. The poem offers a heartfelt narrative that resonates with many, as it challenges the stereotypes and expectations imposed on individuals by society.

About the Work

Dominique McLean's work masterfully navigates the emotional landscape of self-perception and societal expectations. The poem is rich with vivid imagery and an introspective tone, exploring themes of acceptance, transformation, and ultimately, self-love. Through a journey of struggle and realization, McLean's verses convey a powerful message about embracing one's true self and rejecting the need for validation from external sources.

A Manual for the Correct Body

Original Submission by Dominique McLean

“A Manual for the Correct Body”

My grandmother once told me

my skin looked like polished earth after the rain.

I stopped believing her at thirteen.

other voices were louder than she was

My mind began to hate me

so much that

my body began

listening.

—

I had always struggled with

self image.

I hated everything

about the body i lived in.

My skin was too “dark.”

Too much night trapped beneath flesh.

My hair was too “nappy.”

Too wild to be touched gently.

My smile was too “creepy.”

Too wide.

Too loud inside a Black girl’s mouth.

It echoed in my skull

until my body began

repeating it back to me.

—

I practiced smaller smiles

in the mirror for weeks

before my mouth

decided to practice for me.

One morning,

i smiled too wide

and felt the corners of my mouth tear.

I tried fixing it.

I stitched the corners carefully,

hoping,

praying.

That a softer grin would grow in its place.

And it worked.

People began to notice me.

They said I looked prettier when i didn’t

force my smiles.

Prettier when i was quieter.

And I was content.

Until my mouth felt… wrong.

Like it was forgetting how to open.

The skin began to

grow over my teeth.

So i stopped smiling.

I thought:

“Surely,

there were other things to love.”

Heat crawled through the strands

rooted into my scalp

until i felt pretty,

and i looked ‘normal’.

Again, it worked.

They touched me softer after that.

Spoke slower around me.

Let me sit beside them without looking afraid.

“Your hair looks so much better like this.”

So i kept it like that.

Though I prayed for softer hair,

naturally.

My scalp answered differently.

It bled in straight lines.

Quietly. Obediently.

Like it had finally learned

what i wanted from it.

Chunks of hair decorated my sink.

My head flinched at my own fingers.

And i covered it.

Told myself there was still

something left to offer.

There had to be.

My flesh.

I scrubbed my skin raw in the shower

waiting for another colour to appear underneath.

And it began to shine through.

The colour they wore so easily.

The one that never

needed defending.

I had it.

I shone everywhere i went.

My smile was no longer,

neither was my hair,

but at least i still had my skin.

Until i returned home.

To shower in my new skin.

And it fell off.

Not all at once.

In sheets. In silence.

Polite, almost,

like it was trying

not to make a mess of leaving.

Stripped to the thing beneath,

i stood in the water and watched

what i had become

chase the drain.

Blood followed, darker than i expected.

Darker than anything

they had ever called beautiful.

My muscles understood water differently now.

Every drop a question

my body had no skin left to deflect.

My eyes stayed open

because there was nothing left

to close them with.

It was truly over.

beneath my skin,

there was nothing worth keeping warm.

I didn’t want to be here anymore.

I wanted to disappear.

Perhaps disappearing

was the gentlest thing

i could offer the world.

And for the last time,

my body listened.

My heartbeat began to quiet first,

because there was

nobody left inside

worth keeping alive.

My name disappeared

from my own thoughts.

My voice dissolved soon after.

Then the bones that had spent years

carrying me.

Until the water washed away

the final evidence of my

existence.

Until i was no more.

Finally,

my body had nothing left

to correct.

And if you are reading this

still underneath it all

still buried beneath everything

they told you to correct

I need you to know:

the body you were given

was never the problem.

Your darkness is not a deficit.

Your hair is not a mistake.

Your smile was never too loud

the rooms were just too small.

You are allowed to take up space.

You always were.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, celebrates diverse voices from around the world. Offering a platform for creative expression, this prestigious competition invites poets and writers to share their unique perspectives and narratives. Participants showcase their talent through various literary forms, contributing to a global dialogue in the arts.

Thank you, Dominique McLean, for sharing your profound piece, "A Manual for the Correct Body," with us. Your contribution to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 is a powerful reminder of the importance of self-acceptance and the strength found in embracing one's true identity. We appreciate your voice and look forward to more of your inspiring work.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.