They said.....

They said as a baby, I was abandoned and had to be rescued.

I said God chose someone better to take care of me.

They said no little girl ever deserves to be abused.

I said it's something I have to deal with on my own.

They said she was never ready to be a mother.

I said I never asked her to be.

They said she loves me but doesn't know how to show it.

I said you have to know a child in order to truely love it.

They said she had a addiction to sex and alcohol,

I said she didn't have an addiction she had a choice. She made it.

They said she only wanted to give my sister a better life.

I said that she only wanted to escape her responsibility.

They said she worked hard all her life and never missed a day of work.

I said she had her priorities in the wrong order.

They said I am older and I can now handle the truth.

I say I am ready to listen.

They say that looking back I really did have a horrible childhood.

I say I managed just fine with support along the way.

They say they don't know how I made it thru.

I say I wouldn't change a thing because it made me stronger.

They say that she had some nerve trying to come back into my life.

I say it just took her longer than most to understand the word "Mother"

They say she never cared about anyone but herself.

I say she spent her whole life trying to please others and live up to their standards.

They say I was better off without her.

I say she taught me by her mistakes.

They say she is nowhere near perfect.

I say she is close enough for me.

They say they do not understand.

I say thay never will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Ellen Hammond]

This is very thought and memory evoking. We are who we are today because of all we have survived. The repetition works well in this piece and changiing "said" to "say" half way through leads me to think that while you saw a clear picture of the facts, you have released any bitterness and reached the point of forgiveness. That is the point where you can really see how much healing you have attained.

A very moving poem and a blessing to read.

[Delilah Dunn]

Wow Shan.

This poem made me cry. Not that making me cry is a difficult thing to do, but there is a special quality about this poem that makes it quite emotional - and anything that can evoke emotion within a person is a successful venture. I think, however, what makes this such a great poem is the profound honesty with which you approach a "non-traditional", let's say, life or childhood, and the bluntness that you use to describe how you feel versus how someone on the outside (who could never understand the situation as you do) looks at your life and judges it. Your honesty, the back-and-forth "tug" between "you" and "they", and the lesson that you develop into the latter part of the poem really shows us a look at YOUR reality. Thank you for the read.

[Everchanging Disaster]

Wow, I love this-the repitition really helps the reader focus on your point of view, and you really are the protagonist here. You are the one who is understanding of the situation and "they" are closed minded and giving advice about a situation they don't understand. I also love the progression from abandonment to acceptance to love-ithink i just cried a little.

Great read!

Only one change:
*nowhere