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Home > All Poetry > What I Could Never Tell My Mother

What I Could Never Tell My Mother This piece has been published in Teen Ink's monthly print magazine.

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By Margaret W., Reston, VA
Photo credit: Leah C., Grand Island, NE
What I could never tell my mother
Isn’t her fault; it’s mine
It’s things wrapped inside of me, coiled like wire with the filament exposed
She could accept them – those things – I’m sure
Maybe even love them the way she loves me; little puzzle pieces
That fell out of the box when we were putting it under the sofa
After we almost finished the puzzle together
But I hide them inside my deepest aorta
Keeping them safe because who wants to grab a still-beating heart?
It would kill me to take those secrets out
So my mother may know they exist
But she lets me keep them.
And maybe that’s the real secret, the one that
Shhhh
She doesn’t know –
It’s that I need some secrets of my own.
This piece has been published in Teen Ink's monthly print magazine.This piece has also been published in Teen Ink's monthly print magazine.

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This article has 178 comments. Post your own!

notebookgirl said...
Mar. 17 at 9:14 pm:

wow this describes me to a T thanks for writing

 
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Kelsey W. said...
Mar. 11 at 11:44 pm:

This was very well written. I enjoyed the subject and I took it as you are able to talk to your mom but she doesn't need to know everything. Some things are just for you to know. I feel the same one. Great job!

 
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Peace420 said...
Mar. 11 at 1:52 pm:

Dude, you just described my relationship with my mom.
Very awesome poem

 
CoolBreeze replied...
Mar. 11 at 8:46 pm :

THis was very well written . I also can't talk to my mom.

 
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lilswtdrms said...
Mar. 8 at 11:45 am:

this poem is good. i dont like to tell my mom things either. i feel the same way

 
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PeaveLoveMe(: said...
Mar. 2 at 7:43 pm:

ohh i love this!!! this is an AHMAZING poem!!!!! would you mind checking my poems out? they aren't as awesome as yours tho (:

 
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kaylababyluvsu said...
Mar. 2 at 11:51 am:

i rlly like this one, i ccan relate to this in so many ways

 
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Lucky_Charm3 said...
Mar. 2 at 11:08 am:

Good Poem I loved it!! :)

 
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$MB609$ said...
Mar. 2 at 10:53 am:

you know ya mom probably readin this rite now ?

 
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bmmsrt said...
Mar. 2 at 10:12 am:

wow that is realy good i thank that ever 1 shold hear of it

 
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BmmsNC said...
Mar. 2 at 9:38 am:

great poem i think its good to keep somethings from your mom

 
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BmmsKP said...
Mar. 2 at 9:33 am:

Good Poem.

 
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BmmsKP said...
Mar. 2 at 9:32 am:

I Can Relate Too This Poem...My Mom Doesnt Understand Alott Of Stuff. Love This Poem. Good Job !

 
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bmmssm said...
Mar. 2 at 8:54 am:

i totaly agree my mom somtimes dosnt understand me 1 bit

 
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BmmsBT said...
Mar. 2 at 7:53 am:

I really love this poem. I can really relate to it!!

 
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lostlove16 said...
Mar. 1 at 10:04 am:

This is good. I can totally relate

 
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chastity said...
Feb. 24 at 12:15 pm:

This is so good i love it it is relative

 
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RainieLee said...
Feb. 22 at 2:30 pm:

I can TOTALLY relate to this. 5 stars.

 
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tibby said...
Feb. 22 at 1:46 pm:

thats really good!!! i feel the same way about my mom only i hate her...

 
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CrystalJacquelineRevelation said...
Feb. 21 at 2:17 pm:

I can relate...well written. I think it's lovely. : D

 
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twiwrite said...
Feb. 17 at 2:18 pm:

very pretty i love the last 6 stanzas.

 
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zombieattack said...
Feb. 14 at 8:29 pm:

This is so amazing, I can relate so well even when I get a different meaning every time I read it. Fabulous work, dear:)

 
PoetLaureate07 replied...
Feb. 17 at 9:38 am :

I agree.... this is beautiful!!! Everyone needs a few secrets of their own!!!

 
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hiddenemotions said...
Feb. 11 at 9:29 pm:

Amazing!! is all i can say!!

 
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sedaracapree said...
Feb. 4 at 8:06 pm:

wow. that poem is amazing. ive read it about 30 times. i get a new meaning from it each time. thanks for sharing with us! by the way.... view my new poem. its my first one posted.. but im only 13 so cut me some slack... thanks(:

 
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GreeGree said...
Feb. 3 at 1:12 am:

Those secrets can hurt, they can build us, or they can tear us apart.
Absolutely love this poem. So real...

 
4evr :) replied...
Feb. 4 at 5:32 pm :

totally agree

 
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lostnhim said...
Jan. 29 at 7:24 pm:

I REALLY like this it is really down to earth...

 
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jessicaconner-ish said...
Jan. 26 at 9:30 pm:

this is soo real.. thats why i like it:)

 
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jessica said...
Jan. 26 at 8:00 pm:

My mom and i have a great bond but there is stuff that i keep in secret and you dont know how much i wish theyll come out.it hurts whenever she asks me whats wrong with me and i say nothing when i really want to let it all out. but someday i will

 
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S1234 said...
Jan. 25 at 8:21 pm:

Great work! Very true.
Comment on my work if you get the chance!

 
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heaven(: said...
Jan. 25 at 12:08 pm:

amazing so truee girly:)
kep up the good work.

 
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tara* said...
Jan. 25 at 11:52 am:

Thank you for this poem. My mom doesn't understand that I don't keep my secrets to hurt her, I keep them because something inside me needs them. Great poem, thank you for saying what some of us can't.

 
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sarahbug16 said...
Jan. 24 at 6:09 pm:

very good. i think just about every girl can relate to this poem. very good very good. congrats. u should read some of mine, there are a few that are like this but somewhat different.

 
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beautyispower said...
Jan. 23 at 11:24 am:

I love this one. It makes me think of the secrets I keep from my mother simply because there mine to keeep. I dearly love this one and it reminds you that your not lying when you keep YOUR secrets to yourself...they make you. Please check out my poems: Dead? Them? Me?, Before I'm gone, and The child because no one viewed them. THX

 
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Titan12339 said...
Jan. 20 at 3:22 pm:

Great work, its relatable to everyone and i love the puzzle piece analogy
please take a look at my poems, i need some comments thank you

 
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CaptainFabulous. said...
Jan. 19 at 4:31 pm:

loooove iiiiiit!
i really like how towards the end you put
"Shhhh She doesnt know"
keep up the good work :D

 
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KonyaB!!! said...
Jan. 19 at 3:22 pm:

REALLY GOOD JOB! It's connectable too...everyone has secrets, and they don't need anyone to know about them, even if it IS their mom. Really nice job! :)
Check out my work, I wrote a new one called Thirteen, but no one took a look so...

 
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forever_his1993 said...
Jan. 16 at 12:48 am:

it's really good! keep up the good work! =)

 
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***3Lli3*** said...
Jan. 15 at 4:51 pm:

I love this its really good.!
Check out my work.. tell me how u like it :)

 
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3Oh!3 said...
Jan. 12 at 8:48 pm:

i loved this it was beautiful

 
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Allyssandra said...
Jan. 10 at 5:22 pm:

Good rhythm, you related this to real life very well and, you're right, everyone has a secret or two that they keep close to themselves, nice relations, keep writing, you're very good. :)

 
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oliviarose said...
Jan. 10 at 2:35 pm:

really well written! Very good.

 
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love&peace123 said...
Jan. 6 at 4:46 pm:

wonderful word choice, that was great!

 
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life_of_a_leaf said...
Jan. 4 at 9:31 pm:

very true...everyone has secrets.
nice use of figurative language.

 
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cass said...
Jan. 4 at 7:07 pm:

wow this was great it flowed really well and i relate :( youre really good!

 
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8thOrion said...
Jan. 4 at 6:53 pm:

I can almost relate to it...

 
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unicornlover said...
Jan. 4 at 6:43 am:

ur the biggest bost that ive seen thus far

 
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SDBalla531 said...
Jan. 4 at 6:43 am:

10 outa 10

 
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Allegria-Starling said...
Jan. 4 at 5:49 am:

Neat! It's definitely something I (and definitely other people) could relate to, and so well expressed ;)

 
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