A THEORY ON WHY MY MOM DOESN’T LIKE SNAKES by Gaia Lauretani (Italy, 23)

Mamma was not happy
when she received news that I
her horrible daughter
had ruined my beautiful porcelain skin

Her bitterness only intensified
when she learned that I
her horrible daughter
had chosen to permanently etch
on my body one of the creatures
she hates most
a snake
​

Mamma did not hesitate in
phoning me to say
I’m disgusting and vile
and how Zia Anna would
have never approved of it
had she not been recently deceased
and surely she would be turning in
her freshly dug grave

I told her she was unfair
she never cared when Zia Anna
was alive and now
she was wearing her clothes
to deceive me
to manipulate me
to pull at my heartstrings

I told her
My body is my own
I get to use it as I please

She appealed to
her motherly role
I made you
I get to decide what you do
with your body

If you really loved me
you would have gotten
a tattoo I liked or better
none at all
I should have the final say on everything
you know Mamma knows best

I laughed at her
I hung up the phone
I turned it off
I cried about it

She’s always hurt me with her words
out of love of course
tough love
she tries her best
I love her really

She was the snake all along
distracting me with its beautiful patterns
and its piercing gaze while it’s
digging into me with its fangs
spitting venom from its mouth




Gaia Lauretani was born in Ascoli Piceno, in Italy. She has always loved classical poetry, especially Ancient Greek and Roman literature. After graduating from Classical high school, she pursued an English Literature and Creative Writing degree at LJMU. Currently, she is enrolled in a Masters’ writing course at the same university. She mainly writes auto-biographical poetry, in which she explores family relationships, her Italian roots and her life experiences.