Motherhood for the Daughters of Difficult Mothers

I regret to                                                                                                           inform you

that this thing                       that has been planned 

or thrust upon you                          can’t exist                                                   in halves

that there are only              so many ways you can                             ruin a person 

each one a stray dog                           chasing the tail         of the other            I regret 

that these days might well be         the very worst of your life    that 

no child can replace the child                          lost                                      inside   you

that you are not       your mother              that you sometimes      really are

that these steps                         this dance                      you’ve done since infancy

still blisters                about your ankles        your feet 

I regret         that regret              might well become                         your daily portion

       that it is possible       in the middle of            an entire village          to feel 

completely alone      that grace        much like            mothers          is long-suffering

that nothing withstands                             a child’s ability                             to forgive

that I have nothing more     to offer        except these few words 

which are                     I regret                  likely                 of no help                       at all