mixtape

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On my 5th birthday,
Mama gave me a mixtape;
A yellow one,
With tiny sketchy hearts doodled on it.
"To help you sleep at night," she said.
So I took it in my bedroom,
And played it every night,
Until her voice, melodic and calm,
Made me close my eyes.

On my 7th birthday,
Mama gave me a mixtape;
A red one,
With tiny sketchy hearts doodled on it.
"To replace the broken yellow one," she said.
So I took in my bedroom,
And played it every night,
Until her voice, raspy and sad,
Made me close my eyes.

On my 9th birthday,
Mama gave me a mixtape;
A white one,
Without tiny sketchy hearts doodled on it.
"Keep it away from your Papa," she said.
So I took it in my bedroom,
And played it that night,
Until her voice, weeping and scared,
Kept open my eyes.

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Author's note:

This poem won first place in poetry writing contest while I was in college. I hope you like it! :)

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