Did Everyone Struggle with Food?

Presley Brielle Wiseman is an emerging singer/songwriter in the music scene. In 2024, she released two original singles, “Going, Going, Gone” and “Scabs,” blending themes of folk and alternative music. Currently a senior at Eastern Illinois University, Presley is pursuing a degree in English/creative writing alongside studies in pre-law and ethics. Find her music on all streaming platforms as Presley Brielle.

Presley Wiseman

my mother, my sister,

ex-friend, and girlfriend 

each one too close to the mirror,  

close enough to feel 

the glass on their skin

and see the purple reflection warping,  

the only part thin

the hair on their heads

their veins

their waists

or their wrists— 

mom eats all her meals,

sister used to skip all until she collapsed down the stairs,  

ex-friend only drank shakes for the gym,

and my girl,

well, she fights it the best  

strangely enough,

it’s my brother of all

who combats the urge to submit  

to the societal view

that every person must have tight abs and tight lips,  

he wears a shirt in the pool 

and doesn’t post anywhere,

I used to think it was ‘cause he was scared,  

but he won’t give in to the breaking of him

and force himself to fit in  

so, is it the food that causes the view?

or simply chemicals in our brains  

that manipulate the way we see ourselves

causing these bodies to break?