hate to break it to you
but
she doesn’t love you well because
she wasn’t shown how to give or receive it
and every time she told you that you weren’t smart
you believe it
told you all the things you’d never be
and that when you finally got the keys
to Your Very Own Apartment
she didn’t cheer or clap
instead she told you
you’ll be back
it’s almost as if she’s happy with what you lack
maybe it makes her whole
maybe it fills the deepest, darkest part of her where there
used to be a soul
because i can’t understand how someone could
fail so hard at motherhood
and produce a daughter that even the strongest dad
would have a hard time being proud of
just imagine your life right now
if you had been allowed love
or maybe i shouldn’t mention it
the epiphany, this time

i’m beginning to be who i described
in the first seven lines