A boy
stood and watched
as his mother
destroyed
herself
He hid himself
from her
his true self
his dreams
his identity
in fear of her dismissal
She was full of
hate and
spite
Happy one moment
angry the next
The boy tried
so hard
to keep up
but his legs
couldn’t go faster
Not as fast as her
He tried to
remember coffee stains
on a wooden kitchen table
and concerts in the car
Tried to remember
the good in her
He wanted something more
from life, told her this,
and as predicted
she laughed
and lit a cigarette
inhale
exhale
He tries to remember
but it’s not enough
If there was
any good left
it’s long
gone