Let Me Tell You

Let me tell you about my mother
Who carried me in her womb
Across whose breast I was laid
Whose finger I clutched in my tiny hand 
And there ended her maternal devotion
Let me tell you about my mother
Who used me like a pawn
In a brutal game of marital chess
Then washed her hands and walked away
Professing all the while she did her best
Let me tell you about my mother
Who cannot tell the truth from her lies
Reeling me in time and time again
For one more chance to break my heart
Who is hurt I deny her my children
Let me tell you about my father
Who snorted up my chances from the start
Spending my toddlerhood in a cell
Stewing in his own psychopathy
Who was released when he was born again
Let me tell you about my father
Who denied he ever loved my mother
And after winning me by default
Did his level best to live a single man
While I existed on scraps of charity
Until he found a new wife to destroy
Let me tell you about my father
Who used my love to violate me 
Took my innocence in his hands
And painted my brain in bright red pain
Who left me a beaten down child
Growing in body but not in mind
Let me tell you about my children
My son who made me a mother
My daughter who made me a woman
Two gifts I'll never truly deserve
Two promises I would die to keep
Let me tell you about my children
Pure unadulterated possibilities
Who hold me higher even than God
In whose eyes this disaster is beautiful
Whom I could never claim to be worthy of
For whom I rebuild myself every single day
Let me tell you about myself
A broken child who became a mother
A broken child who became a woman
A broken child who became strong
A broken child who became me
Let me tell you about a dreamer
A fighter, a learner, a creator
A lover, a builder, a seeker
Let me tell you about myself