Mother’s Alibi

When you throw 

away a daughter, 

leave her lying 

on the bathroom 

floor - cover 

the mirrors, but leave 

the clocks ticking. 

Don’t have a drink, 

find a pill, swallow, 

it will help

you sleep.

When you tell her 

she is a hateful thing, slam 

the door. Extract 

all the air 

from her chest.  

Leave no marks, 

you’ll need 

an alibi. 

When you ignore her, do it 

to her face, 

but avoid the eyes. 

Tell her she has a smart 

mouth, then feed her pie. 

You’ll feel better. 

Don’t forget 

to top it off with blame; 

it always tastes nicer 

than denial. 

When you tell 

your daughter 

she is hard to love, 

do it while she is sleeping. 

It’s the fastest 

way to her core. 

Rotten, spoiled girl, 

make sure you wash 

her mouth out. 

When you cut her 

off, do it slowly, 

so the wound is deep. 

Teach her to swim 

but let her drown 

in darkness. 

Use her words 

against her instead 

of as a lifesaver. 

When you abandon 

her, wait until 

she’s at the end 

of her rope. 

Pretend it isn’t real. 

Time heals nothing. 

Tell her to get 

over it. 

Don’t check 

to see if she 

is still breathing.