One was mean and ugly
they wouldn’t even call her
a witch;
hag was better,
but even that wasn’t enough
since her outside was only moderately ugly,
but her insides
were brutal.
Not only did she scream,
she howled like a werewolf
and I was scared of being swallowed
or bitten
though in truth
she only hit
sometimes pulled my hair,
and screamed profanities
out to the wind.
I got rid of her
As soon as I possibly could.

I found a pretty mother,
pretty, but dumb.
I didn’t know she was dumb
until she forgot to make dinner
or bring me to school,
but she didn’t scream
and she bought me beautiful clothes
from Bloomingdale’s.

I discarded the clothes
kept the mother,
realizing
she was sometimes purposeful,
but mostly
I viewed myself as orphaned
until I had children
and found myself another mother
besides myself
for them.

She was fat and gruesome,
but kind and wholesome
and never cursed
only said ‘stupid’ sometimes.

But when I peeked behind her words
I realized how much of the world
was stupid in her eyes
and dark and ugly.

It was too long before I realized
this mother cooked a wicked brew
which I wasn’t about to drink.

So now I’m through with mothers.
I’m throwing them out
into the brambles and branches
of some terribly dark woods,
while I, on the other hand,
have discovered the exit from the forest
and am lusting and mothering
in the light.

By Pamela L. Laskin