"Mother" Inspired by The Paper Daughters of Chinatown:

Mother

The words mother and father

are no longer in my vocabulary.

Of all the figures who stood in those roles,

zero of them have played in character.

I am the only one who can—

the only one who has—

the only one who will—

take care of me.

I am a daughter of my circumstances,

strong because I had to be.

I am a daughter of fear,

hiding in the corners to survive.

I am a daughter of anger,

doing whatever it takes to not need you.

I am a daughter of Chinatown,

deciding whether to be the mother

Chinatown couldn’t teach me to become.