Mother Taught Me Poem by Patti Masterman

Mother taught me,
as most mothers do
how to react graciously when dealt unhappiness,
since it couldn't be helped
(but why assume so unless you knew it for fact)
She taught me how to sit home primly
while everyone else was out having fun,
after all I had to be a good girl and not like those others
(maybe they were the good girls and I was the bad seed, just left unsown)
She taught me how to turn the other cheek till it blistered
since many women never have a high enough opinion of themselves
and there was no reason I should, either
(I really should have questioned that one)
Mother taught me I wasn't special enough
to overcome bad decisions
so I never consciously made any
(and that perhaps, was the worst one of all)