Mommy

I want to scream and shriek at you
instead and not write passively.
I should be damning your weak weak soul,
should be giving into my anger
and devour your delusions whole.
I want to take your fatal flaw and shove

it deep down low into my throat.
Digest your insecurities, neediness,
meekness, weakness. You do not have to
suffer all the betrayals of the world.
There are other people to know,
plenty of promising places to roam
but you shake your head, you shake it

no. There is nothing for you to atone
but you continue to atrophy, let your body
waste in misery. You lie and smile
and say you have forgotten all your woes,
you are content now, but you have never
been so tired, your eyes were never so red.

You continue to let the rain and snow
storm and blizzard pelt you and throw
absolutely everything they have at you.
You sigh and declare you are at peace,
you whisper, “Love can break my bones.”
But I don’t want to come back home

find you on the kitchen floor again,
don’t want to find your spirit or your back
broken, your fantasies exploded all over
the granite countertop. There is so much
in this world, so much besides him.
Don’t you see, you have me? I will never go.