our Mother

our Mother is a simple being—

the embodiment of

Freedom and Growth and Eternity

who gave birth to 

many wonderful children,

until she had us

Us, the youngest

Us, the most immature

Us, the ones who pick fights with ourselves 

who fantasize structure after structure

complexity after complexity 

who have conjured up a system

from what is meant to be free

our Mother is a simple being—

she used to exist in purity

yet now she has developed a complexity of her own:

a desire;

she desires freedom

from the ones she gave freedom to;

she dreams of bliss

but she is battered,

again and again

by her own children,

the epitome of her downfall,

the end of her eternity.

but,

our Mother shows herself in 

scarce places—

where we cower,

she thrives;

some of us care for her

cultivate her

protect her

bring back the solace she bestowed upon us.

for who does not want to see her blossom 

once again?

and perhaps she will forgive us one day

because our Mother is a simple being, really.

by VICTORIA WOO