There is a pain on my left side and it won’t

go away my Mother says it’s

growing pains

but I think

there is something wrong with me I think

we should call a doctor my Mother

is a doctor she says nothing is wrong I say my chest hurts she says

what happened to your left side I say it’s everywhere please stop please make it stop she says who do you think I am I say

a doctor

And what will I do when she is gone

can you die from a broken heart my Mother says no my doctor

says no I say what do you know

about love

because you would crack her chest only to stitch it back again and call it

healing

go take out the parts that no longer serve her go Call an ambulance

because her appendix has burst why was it even there in the first place when did it ever

serve her when all it was meant to do was

burst

Mom it hurts there is a pain in my chest

Surgery can’t help her there is something wrong with her brain

Mom my heart burst Mother please

these growing pains are going to kill me why was my body made to die Mom please I want you

to crack my chest open I need you to take out the things that hurt I need to take out the thing that

burst

And when she is gone I will tell my Doctor

I have growing pains

And he will tell me to grow up

Madison Suh ’26

The Lilac x The Student: “Growing pains”