A Birth Mother Wears A Costume Her Daughter Will Never Fit In

Some thought the mother said taproot
Some thought that woman said resigned

but her daughter mouthed immaculately conceived

Some thought the mother said perdition
Some thought she said hocus pocus

while her daughter wrote parables wrote charms

Some hoped the daughter would say yes, honey
(although they suspected the daughter said wishbone—

knew she would deny everything, slipping into, out of)

Some never understood the daughter’s need
to be alone, her fear of sorcery—they only knew

her as braid of ginger & sea salt
as weightless darling & origami

Some have heard her bark & bark & bark
Some have heard her arrange a resistance