The Age Requirement of Pain

i was 9

i couldn’t drive

but i could hear the words

your mom has cancer

i couldn’t vote

but i could watch hair fall to the floor

along with the tears of “why me?”

i couldn’t have a job

but i could ask “will you die?”

and hear

“i don’t know”

i couldn’t drink

but i could lay with my mom

chemo running through her veins

as they tried to save her life

by making it even more of a hell

then it already was

i couldn’t get married

but i could be told

not to cry

because i needed to be strong

for my mom.

oh tell me

when will there be an age requirement

for pain?