if I were my mother’s voice
I’d praise her as the goddess of self-less love
but ache to reincarnate her soul as the goddess of self-ful love
‘cause I want her to know that she deserves a love with a fuller self
not the love of self-sacrifice, the love of confidence
not the love that curls under bruises only to find its healing reason off some booze
not the love that eats self-respect but the love that feeds self-belief
if I were my mother’s voice
I’d praise her as the goddess of relentless love
not the love rooted in children as the only reason for being
not the love she wears as a medal of sacrifice, a “crown of thorns” unhappiness
not the love indulging in self-reproach, pampered in self-pity and spoiled by self-punishment
not the love of a grappling self-defense and grueling self-denial but the love of assertion
if I were my mother’s voice
I’d praise her as the goddess of charitable love
not the love of monetarymaterialistic belongings but the love of primaryspiritualistic longings to be
not that love,
this love,
if I were my mother’s voice
I’d praise her as the goddess of this love
this love elegant in self-esteem, graceful in self-assurance, and glowing in self-reliance
this love that paints her plump with adoration
this love she wears as a medal of self-pride, a crowned charm of happiness
only this love, Mother, that celebrates the brilliance
of you
with me.
speak up
