As a Child

As a child I would day dream about being a teen

I would imagine myself in high school musical scenes

I didn’t know yet that sometimes this world could be mean

Because so far it looked pretty good

I remember feeling  left out of adult situations

And wishing I could help fix the adult complications

But when I figured out the translation to adult conversation

I regretted ever listening in the first place

Turns out the world was colder then it seemed when I first tested the water

How could a father be so cruel to a daughter

Where was everyone when I needed a spotter

I wish I could go back to when the temperature was hotter

I wish I good go back to being innocent

 

In the poem “As a child” written by Christina Sato this sonnet illustrates the innocents of youth vs reality of growing up. Teenagers often feel like they have no one that they can talk to in their life. In the 3rd line the poet uses personification when they say “this world could be so mean” this portrays how teenagers can sometimes feel like the world is against them. This theme is also illustrated again later in the poem when the poet is asking “Where was everyone when I needed a spotter”.

The character in this poem slowly grows up and realizes how cruel the world can be. This theme of innocents and youth is universal to the everyday world when adults scrutinize children about the lack of understanding in life. However these remarks don’t protect children and teens from the circumstances and problems that parents or other adults try to conceal them from. The divide between childhood and adulthood is not characterized by age, rather by the transformation that occurs within the mind. While the poet grows out of childhood they realize how they miss the innocents and naive mind of their youth.

Christina Sato cleverly and insightfully tells a story in the mind of a naive child slowly maturing into adulthood. While many children go through multiple stages of maturity in life, many look back and reminisce over the easy thoughts of a youthful mind verse the hardships of adulthood.