Mother-Child Disunion
Talk swirls about them
She bends and lifts adjusts
And fusses in a thousand
Ways – wiping a sticky
Toddler chin on the edge
Of her apron carefully with
The tip of a fingernail
freeing
One of the aunts’ sweaters
Who caught its soft loops on
A nieces’ jangly bracelet
Talk swirls about them
And food and drinks and
Hours slip and if they don’t
Melt they don’t bang either
She continues to perform her
High wire tightrope walk
Without help – all alone
In the jumble of happy family
A small puddle of panic-sweat
Gathering behind her neck,
Sliding between her shoulders
As her eyes meet that one
Child finishing a laugh and
A clap on an uncle’s back –
One child – her child – now
Grown staring at her the
smile
Slid from his face – eyes dead
As he shakes his head at her
Tentative step toward and
mouths
“Your bad – Your choice.”
Though it is neither
This reminds me of some kind of scientific symbol -- like a cloud of chaos theory and yet it makes perfect sense when seen together...a warm comfy jumble that it is just right for the one who created it....a peaceful holiday time for you Pearl
ReplyDeletethere will always be those with judgemental eyes. when one chooses to surround oneself in the impermeability of love
ReplyDeletefeliz dias de celebraciones
So easy to judge others instead of looking at yourself.. a mother is in some ways always right.
ReplyDeleteHa, this is a story I know well, a crowd of people letting one person do most of the work and then judging her for being compulsive. LOL. "She didnt HAVE to do it"....but no one else is, right? I resonate!
ReplyDeleteNice snapshot of the issue.
ReplyDeleteZQ
Mother-child relationships are always a bit of a challenge, I think. Sometimes it brings a lot of heartache!
ReplyDelete(Thank you for your participation at PU this year. I have enjoyed your poetry, Pearl.)
There is so much to read in this to interpret. Sadly a child she as a single mother loves and raises, criticizes her for now seeking comfort elsewhere is how I saw it.
ReplyDeleteYou created the scene in a very efficient manner. Sometimes I guess a mother is the only one who sees and cares beyond the moment. Thus she is the one who gets the 'blame'.
ReplyDeleteIn some families it can seem that the children are put on display to perform for the visiting relatives. I always felt that my family was one of these.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting poetryofthenetherworld.blogspot.com and commenting on my work. :-)
I can understand the view of a child not wanting a parent and the parent being upset. It happens all the time.
ReplyDeleteneither--just instinct--and maybe very good at that! Children have therir ways, not all very kind, of letingyou know they are weaned.
ReplyDeleteEach relationships are so unique, and are the business of only those included....
ReplyDelete