Mother's White Lies

Seemed mother disliked many foods

Meat was too sinewy

Nuts were too hard

Desserts too cloying

She was so peaky

When growing up

We were not well-to-do

My parents worked hard

To make ends meet

But food never fell short for their children

Mother always refused to eat goodies

Happened those were our favorites

She claimed they were unappetizing to her

We believed it and

Devoured treats without quilt

She mostly liked to eat rice

Bowl after bowl of plain rice

Free from grandfather’s paddy fields

When grown older

We realized mother was

Just telling us white lies

She defended herself that

She enjoyed watching us savor foods

As they were more palatable

When eaten with her eyes

Than with her mouth

By Shih-Fang Wang

From: United States