Mother

I guess you must have wondered what I wanted

Standing there with the hurt in my eyes,

Then turning my back and walking slowly out the door.

It was so very simple I never could explain.

I wanted you to be non-judgmental

Especially when I was difficult.

I didn’t want to hear why people didn’t like me.

I didn’t want you to ask out loud to yourself

Why I wasn’t as clean, thin, smart, hard-working, etcetera

As some other paragon of virtue you choose.

I had a right to your approval 

and sympathy when life was cruel.

I didn’t need or deserve an endless list of what I should do to improve myself. 

But given all of the above, most of all

why were you so surprised when I was 

judgmental

disapproving

unsympathetic 

and critical

toward you?