Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Lies, all lies

My mom tells lies. 
She tells lots of lies.  
"Eat your (mushy, canned)peas.
They're good for you."
"If you eat all your dinner
you'll be in the clean plate club."
Oh I'm in the clean plate club...
I think I might be president.  
"If you make faces at your momma, 
it might get stuck like that."  

My mom tells lies.  
She tells lots of lies.  
"You go to sleep now.
If you don't, the Sandman might come up
and getchya."
I lay there...
eyes tight...
listening to my own heartbeat 
on the pillow
thinking
that it's the...  
Sandman!!!

My mom tells lies.  
She tells lots of lies.  
"If you see a man in his underwear, 
you'll get a nasty sty."  
She wasn't countin on me
accidentally seeing my friend's dad
in his underwear
when he opened the door
to get the paper.   
She got lucky though.
The next morning
my eye was swollen shut.

My mom tells lies.
She tells lots of lies.  
Some are to get me to 
eat
sleep
pray
stay out of trouble
and be safe.
Now I'm a momma 
and oh by, do I lie.

3 comments:

  1. Deb! This is awesome! Such great voice and I love the topic--because all moms tell lies like these! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the repetition of this poem at the start of each stanza. It adds a wonderful cadence to your writing.
    We all tell lies to our children, don't we? My aunt overheard me tell my daughter a coin-operated pony was sleeping when I didn't feel like spending the money to put my daughter on it. She hasn't let me live that one down yet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Deb, I love this poem! The repetition, your voice...it all made me smile.

    ReplyDelete