Mama's Shadow

I was born in the holler, where the pine trees stand tall,

A little girl with big dreams, but you didn’t see me at all.

Your hands were worn from labor, your voice like a distant bell,

I reached for your love, but I only found your shell.

Daddy worked the fields, his silence cut like a knife,

I learned to mend my heartstrings, weaving through the strife.

But every night I’d wonder, as the moonlight kissed the floor,

Did you love me in the quiet, though you never said it more?

I’m just a shadow, a whisper in your past,

A daughter chasing moments that were never meant to last.

I built a house of longing, out of tears and out of stone,

Praying one day you’d tell me, I was worth calling your own.

Mama, you were a fortress, strong but cold as steel,

Your hugs were fleeting moments, they never felt real.

Daddy, you were thunder, a storm I couldn’t chase,

I searched for your approval, but it never found my face.

Now I’m older, with a child of my own,

I swore I’d break the silence, and love her till she’s grown.

But still, there’s a shadow that lingers in my chest,

A girl who needed love, who never felt her best.

I’m just a shadow, a whisper in your past,

A daughter chasing moments that were never meant to last.

I built a house of longing, out of tears and out of stone,

Praying one day you’d tell me, I was worth calling your own.