Mama Told Me So

Mama told me to prepare for war

But how do you prepare when you can’t see the enemy

How do you sit in silence for so long

How do you ponder over what everyone must carry

How do you enjoy life after you’ve heard the war song

When you always had to be wary

 

Mama told me of her war stories

Her stories filled with hard work and fear

Her stories including an immigration during war to a land that was queer

Her stories involving a new life that she must steer

Her stories where danger became much more near

 

Mama told me of the smoke bombs filled with pessimism that made the air dense

Everyone was a stalker, a drunkard, an addict or idiot here

Everyone lied about being good

And nobody said what the truth would

No one cared for their own mothers 

No respect was ever shown to each other

All they really cared for was getting out of their bluthers

 

Mama told me “We live in a world where we’re”

All hidden from each other 

Deceiving one another

Just as Odysseus took Nobody’s identity 

Taunting Polyphemus for the rest of his days

And the Evil Queen took Old Granny’s

 

Thinking on what Mama told me

The world that I had thought was so new

The world was so much more blue

An illusion of life and butterflies that flew 

An illusion in which I’ve realized the truth

My Hunger Games began, ending my youth

 

Interpreting what Mama told me

I needed to work harder

Fight stronger 

Think smarter

Grow faster

Playtime was over

 

Ingraining what Mama told me

I needed to make her proud

I needed to make her sacrifices worth it 

I could never let her down

I could never let them all down

I would rise up

 

Reflecting on what Mama told me

I told me I couldn’t make those mistakes

I told me People were gonna fail

I told me I could not afford to

I told me I needed to be perfect

I told me I needed to grow up

 

Looking back on what Mama told me

Seeing how I perceived her stories

Wishing I could have enjoyed my time in the bubble

Living in the bubble of naïveté 

Bubbling with light and love

My bubble that never experienced families breaking apart

 

I wish I could have told me 

Working hard to make them happy is good

But figuring out what you like

And knowing how to live for yourself 

Or exploring all the other bubbles

Is so much more important

 

If I had listened to this advice

I would not be so clueless now

I would know what I enjoy

I would know to revel in the relationships I have formed

I would know that I was willingly giving up my bonds and friendships

Only to go fight in the war 

This poem is about: 
Me
My family
Poetry Terms Demonstrated: 

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