Today we have a poem. Sometimes we all need to cherish the memories of our mothers; other times, we need to exorcise them. Today is one of the latter.

MOTHER

I don’t want to be like her.
            I want to study.
            I want to work.
            I want to go as far as I can go.

I don’t want to be like her.
            I want to live bold.
            I want to live large.
            I want to leave a large hole when I am gone.

I don’t want to be like her.
            I don’t want to watch soap operas.
            I don’t want to read tabloids.
            I want to live every day not knowing what my horoscope says.

I don’t want to be like her.
            I don’t want to be tired.
            I don’t want to be old.
            I want to have the energy to face every new morning.

I don’t want to be like her.
            I don’t want to be mean.
            I don’t want to be cruel.
            I don’t want to treat the world the way it treated me.

I don’t want to be like her.
            I want to break the glass ceiling.
            I want to smash the status quo.
            I want to be able to go where men don’t want me to go.