أمي

awake at 6 a.m. school at 8 a.m. wash dry clean by 3 p.m.
she labors over sink house kids husband washing machine

stretched out
“It is not enough”

What is left
of our mothers? of the women who birth raise love us?

Is it enough?

fill the holes created by gendered expectations my mom is a law-abiding citizen I wish she were a rebel my love is not enough to free her and her love is not enough to free me so we sit and stare at one another tears in our gazes few words spoken but most we do not utter she is scared to admit what she thinks as am I

Artwork by Dorothea Tanning