Friday, July 2, 2010

Difficult conversation

You tell me what you think will make me proud.
I recognise the hollows. I did it too,
managed impression, with both of my parents,
let them believe I cared about getting the PhD,
scrubbed the baseboards before visits, practiced
the order of introductions, even took down the
yard sign for candidates and causes they despised.
I tried so hard to be a different kind of mother,
one you could tell, show anything, everything.
Effort does not always pay off. I keep trying.

Victoria Hendricks
July 1, 2010

7 comments:

  1. I'm sure it takes a very special sort of relationship for a child to divulge 'everything' to a parent. I'm equally sure that you will have done a wonderful job.

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  2. All someone can do is try their best, I think. I also think that there are perhaps some things parents would be happier not knowing. LOL.

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  3. "even took down the
    yard sign for candidates and causes they despised."

    Love little personal touches like this; I think many can relate to it!

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  4. Ah, but I think you will find that effort DOES pay off! This is an admiral poem, Victoria

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  5. I liked the yard signs, and cleaning baseboards parts, too ... brings it even closer to the reader.

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  6. Love the feeling this imparts - and even recognize it! :)

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  7. Thanks for the positive and supportive comments, all of you.

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