Broken days

Before you walk away,

Before the day is done,

Why do you insist on leaving,

We're not forever young.

You say, "C'mon, let's play!" one minute but the next,

You're all about "growing up" and "finding love".

You'll laugh and smile alongside me,

But soon turn your back to the younger us.

We never noticed when we stopped playing in the mud,

Because looks overthrew our play.

We never noticed when we gave up our alongside-boys fun,

Because the world put romance in the way.

Why did you let our imagination stop,

Why did you let your rage grow nearer.

Why did you leave our youth to flop,

You horrible monster in the mirror.

Reviews

[Titilayo Sarah Eguridu]

It took me a while to get a hang of the truth.
Time is not the enemy, our lack of the skills to bask in the moments before they are lost is the problem.
This is heart aching, yet profound!
Perhaps we could teach the next generation how to live in the moments…because they are fleeting.
Thank you Grace Lee.

[Chris Shaw]

The loss of innocence. We lose a part of ourselves on our journey. We become someone else altogether. If only we knew that when we were young, so we could linger just a little bit longer. Your poem made me pause and reflect and also wish I could wind the clock back briefly. Thank you for sharing. Happy new year.

Chris

[Thomas W Case]

Such a powerful reflection on lost innocence and the way growing up can pull us away from ourselves. I love how the poem captures both nostalgia and frustration—especially that striking final line, which really hits hard. A raw, honest look at who we become.

[Jimmy Crapped Corn]

Boys and Girls. Birds and bees. I remember very well the days that female friends disappeared onto adolescent makeup wearing strangers right before my eyes

[Coyote Poetry]

It is sad when we forget. Time isn't always kind. Hard to stay the same dear Grace. But is very painful when two people or us. Become less brave. Thank you, dear poet for sharing the amazing poetry. You made the reader ponder and think.
Coyote

[Davidgeo]

There is vast disconnect between female and male intimacy. After age 25, all people tend to fundamentally change. Our frontal lobes don't finish developing until 25 on average. Then we start processing costs, benefits, goals, etc. more realistically. A lot of men in America do not take this well these days. It induces maladaptive coping mechanisms. I think this is ONE of the reasons why nobody is having middle class sex anymore. Rich people and poor people are having more sex then ever... the middle class though, you guys are just jackin' off waxin' emo on poetry sites. I blame the dudes though, all the generations after the millenials have zero game on average. Negative charisma. (I'm lower class by the way... us dirty poors like to get dirty with our poor asses)... That was a highly pretentious review, apologies. I'm a d********g, i cannot help this.

[Belle]

Your poem is full of longing for a lost innocence that the world quietly steals away. I love how you capture the tension between childhood joy and the pressures of growing up, making the “monster in the mirror” both personal and universal. It’s heartbreaking and honest, forcing the reader to feel the grief of leaving playfulness behind.

[Grace Lee]

i appreciate your review, it's an encouragement

[Brad Dehler]

Wow. The complete reversal at the end changes the entire meaning. Well done. I like the intensity building "why did you let..." The address of innocence lost and love forsaken. And inward we must ask!

[Grace Lee]

this is much of an upliftment
i appreciate

[Brad Dehler]

Absolutely!

[JessyJacob]

Hi,
Very beautiful lines. Every second we enjoy from birth who said life wasted. For me memories mean alot that passed through me. I see you handsome ❤️ in outside.

[Grace Lee]

thanks i appreciate this

[Arundass TP]

Nicely written. Dramatic. Enjoyed reading