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