Dear Kathy (aka Mom)
I could express anger
that every mirror doesn't reflect you,
that you taught me
to believe
everyone is self-centered.
But I saw
what you could not.
Empathy and validation for you
were the literal focus
of jokes.
So, I am confused...
You must have had
some rudimentary understanding
of these concepts.
I might need to explain
that there are other people
with different perspectives.
Imagine, I am facing you.
You see me and that which is around me
I see you and that which is around you.
We have different perspectives
and that concept is so
basic.
Compassion eluded you completely
along with my sister, brother
and father.
If I got sick
or injured,
it wasn't part of a plan
to inconvenience you.
For so long, I told
my life story over
and over
as if speaking
to a stranger
or my new friend.
I knew these things
wasted two decades trying
with all of you
narcissists...
with the bizarre belief
that if one's own family
doesn't care
who would?
It is tragic but an involuntary commitment
order was required for me to wake up...
to stop trying to explain
everything.
I am embarrassed
at how verbose I am
with everyone.
People I just met
don't need a long explanation
to justify why I am
having a bad day
why I am justified in
having a bad day
why I have a right
to feel emotions
of a human nature.
Most people understand
anger, sadness, fear, surprise/excitement
happiness/joy...
They understand that happiness
as a mood or an experience -
something good happened
or is happening.
They understand grief
means I might have lost something
or someone
that was important to me.
I have to remind myself
that for most people
these things,
for adults are not
complicated.
YOU ARE READING
Echoes of the Psyche
PuisiThis is a collection of poems that in some way relate to mental health, psychological experiences, states of mind and so on. I have relied on my own empathy when describing the experiences of others to present different states of mind or internal ex...
