Sienna Beard
Life Lessons
Dearest Momma
I remember when you told me
If you can’t say something nice
Don’t say anything at all
I’ve always believed this
So I’ve tried to show respect
To pray for and honor all people
Though sometimes I’ve failed
I remember many times
I spoke kind words about our leaders
Even though I didn’t always agree
With their words and actions
But Momma, it has become so hard
To honor someone who hurts so many
And treats it all like a joke
Like a social media competition
Momma, I can’t do it anymore
I don’t have anything nice to say
So Momma, I can still pray,
But it’s probably best not to speak
Sienna Beard has written articles for Showbiz Cheat Sheet, CUInsight, Art & Society, and iBi. She is an Academic Advisor and adjunct English instructor at Lincoln College in Normal, Illinois.
SUBMIT to What Rough Beast via our SUBMITTABLE site.