mother says, don’t walk alone outside
late at night (morning, really) because
you don’t know what some creep
might do to you, she says, i want you
in the (questionable) safety of a house

mothers like to paint their homes in
innocence & love and pretend that
they can actually protect those that
exist w i t h i n . t h e i r . r e a l m

they are naïve (ignorant) (mothers don’t
understand that people are most often
abused by someone they already know)

mother says, i wouldn’t let a druggie
in the house (not all addicts are abusive;
not all those who are clean are safe) &
people are (not) protected in my house

(mum, why can’t you understand that
you’re trying to save me from a myth
while i’ve already lived the reality?)