transient

parents

we're to finish this assignment

before the end of today

meant to be marked

and signed by our parents

them asking why we didn't get perfect marks

like that 95% doesn't mean anything if it's not

one hundred percent

-

they say they know what's best for us

but they don't even know us

they act like they can read our minds

but are far from even scratching the surface

and they use their favourite line:

"you're so lucky that you're even here.

in other countries, children are starving!"

and then they mutter,

"ungrateful kids."

-

to this day

we are told we're not good enough

but our parents want to live their goals through us

they wanted to be a ballet dancer when they were six

so they put us through hours of strenuous training

breaking our bones so they can be more flexible

-

using the excuse,

"we don't want you to become like us"

to justify their words

saying we're too fat and ugly

saying that no one will want us unless

we diet

we wear makeup

and we smile like fools

-

so we do just that

we follow their rules

and expectations

we don't want to disappoint them

so we act like excellent sons and daughters

and at night, we smoke and party

and drink our way to unconsciousness

to 'take away the pain'

and the next day?

-

we do it all again.