my mother likes to do this thing where she makes me feel small
as if shrinking me down to nothing will make it easier to step on me
stop me
and reduce me to nothing
as if it will make me smaller
to fit her idea sized play-dough daughter
malleable bendable changeable play-dough daughter
dress me and change me
stretch my limbs to be small and perfect
not fat but streamlined
choose to put a brain in me or let me be a puppet
crush me and build me up again when i'm not right
put me on a shelf an artefact proof of a great mother buried in history now
covered in dust untouched
pull off my lips so they can't talk seal them shut
eyes beady and unmoving and unblinking watching with no choice everyone's life pass by
dumpy little play-dough daughter
short and fat stretch me out and mould me throw me change me break me
put me away and hide me when you've had enough
