Respsone to Vaine Rasmussen's Poem

Upon reading A book and a Pen by Vaine Rasmussen I was prompted to write a simialr poem, but with my own issues within it. By issues I mean in Rasmussen's poem she is talking about loss of culture and identity. I do not have a problem with cultural identity but I do sometimes struggle a little with self identity and how I fit into the world so I wrote this poem I titled When I was Younger. This poem is also about loss of innocence and how what people tell or teach you when you are younger can stay with you your whole life and create problems. Also if you do not know what Pointe shoes are they are hard ballet slippers.

When I was Younger

When I was four years old

I played with coloured pencils and

Dolls with long hair. I was taught to

Lie in fields of grass and let my imagination

Leap and dance across the meadow.

When I was ten years old

I played with vibrant pieces of 
Lego with sharp edges. I was taught to

Read more and

Fill my head with other people’s words.

When I was fourteen years old

I played with baby pink Pointe slippers and

Chiffon ballet Skirts.

I was taught to suck my stomach

In and fake perfection.

Now at nineteen years old and I wonder
Why I still suck my stomach in and yet

I have no clue where my brightly coloured toys

Have gone to.