Growing Up

As a child

I wanted nothing more than to grow up.

To be an adult

And live my own life.

As a child

I wanted nothing more than to be my own person.

To be strong

To be proud

To be independent.

As a child

They tell you that growing up is such a great thing.

That with it you discover who you are.

But I warn you my young ones,

This is a trap

As a teen

I was told I was fat

That you could see the rolls

On the sides of my back.

As a teen

I was told I was a prude

But once I slept with one person

The words got misconstrued

As a teen

I was told I was worthless

But the girls at my school

I swear they couldn’t care less

So I stand here today

In front of you all as an adult.

Now I agree with the statement

They told me as a child

But growing up didn't make this all worth while

For the statement being

That growing up, helps you discover who you are

But are they aware that we are not doing this

As well as they think we are

From growing up I have learned

That being fat is bad

For if you have rolls on your body

Then you are just that.

From growing up I have learned

That if you're wrong you are dumb

That some people can cheat

Yet you're still the chum.

From growing up I have learned

That you should never seek love

For if you hook up you're a slut

And if you don't you're a prude,

And that a woman's worth

Comes only from her number of shoes,

That have been placed under her bed

The laces tied up like knots

Used to strangle her at night with her thoughts.

From growing up I have learned

To bite my tongue

For my words are like acid

Burning holes in the souls of those around me.

From growing up I have learned

That your value does not matter

And your worth is as equal

As the dirt under our feet.

As an adult I have learned

That society is wrong

Yet we let it raise our kids

Is the ideal of it all.

We sit here and say

That society is fucked

Yet when we're called to stand up

We stay sitting on our trunks.

There are riots in our streets

And our people are crying

Yet the only time we care

Are when our phones are dying.

So I warn you my children

Don't grow up so quick

For it is only a trap

And you aren't that slick.