Amisha’s protest poem explores the immense pressure of living up to expectations and the struggle to find one’s true self, for Different Truths.
Other people think of who they want me to be, the perfect girl.
One who has unmasked her potential, set her goals,
dreams, and most importantly, her future.
But I am truly not that girl.
I know that they only wish for what’s best for me.
Still, I wish to be able to live without the weight of expectations,
to live freely like a deer running through a stream,
slowly dragging its hooves, sending water flying
onto the large magnolia trees.
I wish to go to a place where I can stargaze
surrounded by my loved ones, because only
the sky and my family make me feel
as if possibilities are endless.
Maybe it’s because I am terrified of not being enough.
I am truly not that girl.
I am only a silent river, clashing again and again
against land, struggling to focus on my path.
To me, family means guidance, love, support, and tradition.
I come from a disciplined, yet deeply loving household,
where education and knowledge mean everything.
And I dream of success, so my fantasies will have to wait.
Sitting in a peaceful library, inhaling the scent of
freshly inked pages, brushing against these fantasies
just to pick up a book and simply read for fun… will have to wait.
Dork Diaries and Diary of a Wimpy Kid will have to wait.
I miss the innocence of my childhood, playing with Barbie dolls,
not a care in the world. A time when smiles weren’t fake.
My safe haven is when those memories drift into my bubble.
I like the sound of my thoughts, words, and memories
floating effortlessly in my brain, protected from judgment.
I feel most alive in their tender arms when, on rare occasion,
they remind me that mistakes make us human.
So… I am the product of someone’s idea of the perfect kid.
But for how long?
Picture design by Anumita Roy
Amisha Parmar is a senior at Travis High School who discovered her love for poetry at the age of nine. What began as a quiet outlet in the 5th grade quickly became a powerful way for her to process the world around her. Her work, exploring themes of identity, growth, and resilience, has been featured in several publications, including “Medium”.
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