Mother Lies

Seated on mother's lap
By the candlelight
Drowsy, oh her soft voice!
Delicate, sweet as honey as if murmuring a lullaby

She carries me to my bed
I'm asleep, at least I pretend to be, hoping she doesn't notice my half-open eye and wide, toothless smile
Tucks me in, plants a kiss on my forehead
Whispering, oh my beautiful child!

Her footsteps retract, fading into the night
Just before the light dies away
I pick up the fairy tales she read to me
Words are meaningless scribbles and dots, pictures mesmerise

Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella
Hidden by the façade of fantasy
Their truth disguised
I'd soon come to learn the world so full of deception and lies.