parenting poems

In Control

Don’t do this, don’t do that.
Don’t you listen? Do it like this.
How many times do I have to
Repeat myself? I’m getting tired of
Always having to show you
How to do this. Don’t you
Get it? Don’t you have any
Common sense?

There’s a right way to do things.
I know what’s right for you.
I am the law. I’m doing it because
I love you. I know the way.
I’m just trying to help you avoid the
Mistakes I made. Do as I say, not
As I do. I’m the one in control here.

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Hear Me

Don’t tell me that you didn’t hear
Me. My voice is omnipotent and I
Take great pains to raise it adequately
When I need you to pay attention.
Are you listening? I can’t tell whether
You are or not through my cascade of
Verbiage mercilessly engulfing everything
In its wake. Unnoticed, the sound of
Another voice, doused.

Slide

It’s not that funny when you’re the object of
Scorn and manipulation, subtly executed.
Stand right here for eighteen years,
I’ll show you what it’s like.

Difficult to make out any one thing let alone
Remember the specific time I failed under its
Growing weight. Slow motion immobilization.

Come now, I’ll tell you more about it.
Let us relive those glory days when,
Big as a mountain, you saw fit to
Slide into the valley silencing all
But your conscience.

Flimsy Facade

Raised to be
Hard, tough,
Infallible.

A
Flimsy
Facade.

Outwardly
Confident,
Inwardly fragile.