Dear Mom,

(A Spoken Word Poem)

Can you hear me?
Because I can hear you
The words circle around and around in my head
like a badly synchronized tune

You used to sing when I was young,
a careful, melodic sound that slipped off your tongue
You sang about life and praise and love
and how a child is a mother's gift from up above

People see me and say, "Wow, your smile is beautiful. It lights up a room"
And maybe that's the reason it's so dark when I'm alone in my room
Because the tears you will never see keep me company

The hollowed auditorium that holds my weakened heartbeat
Also holds the insecurities that wrap around me
tightly
threatening to never let go

So can you hear me?
When I'm shouting your name,
when I'm being forced to take the blame

"You're such a s**t", you say
So I guess I'm that too
And I shouldn't be surprised since society teaches us that women equals sexualize
But that's not the point

How can you look me in the eye
and say that I've slept with millions of guys
When you're never there
So even if it was true,
you couldn't possibly know why

Can you hear me?
Is it loud and clear?
The emotions that build up inside me
And have learned to fear
Inadequate, defective, faulty, not good enough
That's what I feel
every time that I fail to meet the expectations that just seem to appear
It's my fault, I know
I can't seem to pay off the debt that I owe
to you

So can you hear me?
I see pictures and magazines
I look back at myself and no longer like what I see
So I go to you, in hope, that you'll tell me it isn't real
and the only thing that matters is how you feel
about yourself

But instead, I get shaming and blaming and hating
and I start to believe that the problem is me
when in reality, I'm not thinking clearly

And I know that I'm one of millions,
a blip in mankind
But my doubts are very much alive
Sometimes I can't shake it
And you ask me, "why are you so depressed?"
And I want to tell you about the self-hating mess

that you've made me into

And it's not fun
It's never fun
when you feel so done
Because everything seems against you

You tell me I'm too young to feel done
But it's answers like those that tell me negativity has won

So can you hear me?
My final plea
I just want someone who will catch me
Because you know that thread is so fine
And I know soon it will be my time
to fall
if I'm not already falling

So can you hear me?
Because I can hear you
The words circle around and around in my head
Like a badly synchronized tune

Author's Note

Spoken word I've actually performed and comes from my own experiences with my mom
*Edited*

Reviews

[Eleise Trenda]

It was really good until I go the last parts and realized you had someone else poem...? Explaining my depression to my mother is an original. You should really change the words there. I know you weren't COMPLETELY copying but it was pretty much the same thing. Just for the sake of you own personal poem, you need to keep it original. Put your heart into it. That's what your readers will want to read. No someone else's work. 😊 Great job though. I can very much relate too you.

[Alejandra Marie]

Omg! I didn't realize I took someone else's words. I came up with this poem fairly quickly and maybe my mind recalled it from a time I had watched the video? I don't know. But I didn't realize it. Thank you very much for drawing my attention to it. I will go back to the Explaining My Depression to My Mother and see exactly which parts are hers and change them. I'm very sorry. Wasn't my intention. But otherwise, thank you for the review.

[Alejandra Marie]

Thank you again. The poem has been edited.

[Eleise Trenda]

No problem!! It sounds great! :)

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

I hope you work it out with your mum
While she is here
Lean on her
Ps don’t beat yourself up either life’s too short
She won’t be here forever x
Enjoyed your poem

[Ballpark Frank]

I can relate to this. Well done. Very powerful.

[Davidgeo]

Did you actually perform this live or are you borrowing from something Sabrina Benaim actually did again?

I'm glad you took out the parts that copied her performance verbatim. It's not plagiarism anymore but none the less it was, and that betrays a severe lack of personal originality and a willingness to misrepresent other's ideas as your own.

[Mitch]

People don’t realize the power in the words they speak to one another. This is doubly so for parents to their children. Parents are meant to encourage, advocate, and instruct their children. However as flawed beings there are many who fail. I’m sorry this is a reflection of you own life and I hope that you see the value in yourself.
As far as the writing goes, nice job in telling your story with great emotion. This flowed very much like a spoken word. I think this is something many people will empathize with and it is very relevant. Keep writing!

[Alejandra Marie]

Thank you so much. I know. Sometimes, people fail to realize the fact that children have emotional depth as well. I've grown from and am grateful for the experiences I've had.. So please, don't be sorry.

Thank you for your review and for the add.

[Joan Probst]

This is a very realistic poem, many children find it difficult to deal with their parents expectations and deal with them abusing them because of it. Thank you for the insight! Keep it up!

[Alejandra Marie]

Thank you. I'm glad it comes off as relatable.

[Arpita]

So much of pain, so much of anger and so much of struggle.
Dear writer, your work shows how a girl suffers and how today she is pouring out her all emotions in the name of her depression with the society who treats a sole woman as "available".
Really thoughtful and painful at the same time.

[Amy R]

Such a touching yet honest piece written,
keep it up, was well written! I look forward to more of your poems! :)

[Alejandra Marie]

Thank you! Also, thank you for the add.

[Amy R]

absolutely ! :)

[Ms. Twitch]

Beautiful in how open and honest you are... thank you for sharing.

[Alejandra Marie]

Thank you for your review

[Jibey]

Very moving and sad.. You express those feelings of need and hurt with great power. I hope it helped to perform the words.

[Alejandra Marie]

Thank you. And it did a little bit. I just wish my mom was willing to understand.