I Love You, Ma

My Mother's love, sometimes I doubt,

She loves me, yes, but at times I'm unsure.

With her uneven favors and unkept promises,

My heart breaks more than ever.

When she favors my siblings, I feel small,

Her mocking jokes are bittersweet.

Unaware of my cries,

She laughs with ease.

When I speak, my sister interrupts,

My mother's attention shifts,

Lost in a sea of voices,

I fade away.

As a child, tears fell as she left for the day,

Her love, once tender, now seems far away.

What happened to that mother so kind?

I wonder, as memories rewind.

When she is a silent witness,

To my sister's taunts, or my brother's blows,

I feel betrayed, and my heart aches.

In anger, I fight, wanting to hurt back,

But finding no relief, I give up.

This toxic love, even if it's true,

Wounds me, black and blue.

Though it hurts, I cannot leave her,

Her love, though flawed, makes me whole.

Her hugs and kisses burn on my skin,

A reminder of the love I once got.

I hold her tight, despite the pain,

She's my mother, my love for her remains.