The people around me were at awe
At my level of maturity,
Though I knew not to take their silence
As an insult or backhanded praise,

“You are very mature for your age,”
They said to me time and time again,
Yet all words that came out of my mouth
Were met with scorn, or simply dismissed,

They would tell me I should not bother
With topics fit only for adults,
Only to scold me for not knowing
Anything 'bout their conversation,

I suppose that their words weigh nothing,
But somehow has power over me
As if they were the norm, truth, or law,
That I will take heart 'til end of days,

Adults would show their concern to me,
Ask why I would not bother laughing,
But I could not say that, when I do,
They would rant how I got it easy,

I do not understand them at all—
Do they want me to be serious,
Or do they want me to enjoy life?
For either answer is somehow wrong,

They would push me beyond my limits,
Explain that this would all prepare me
For the world so cruel and scathing,
Never minding I am but a child,

Adults could not seem to shed a light
To me of their roundabout lecture;
I'm no longer sure what mask to wear
While dancing around this masquerade,

They expect me to be an adult
When I am simply but a mere child,
Only to be crossed even further
If I try to understand their world,

Their mockery of trying to see
The world in the eyes of a child shows
Just how cruel adults could become
To someone who has yet to speak out,

And I would like to remind them allTo never underestimate me
.

© sereena_ writings