people, places, and things pt. 1

mom once told her not to lean back in her chair

or she'd fall

she never did listen to her mother

her mother was addicted to cocaine

and the various erections of nameless lovers

but that's not why she didn't listen

she was frightened

that's much closer to the reason

she was scared that her mother could be right about anything

because if her mom could be right about anything, then she could have

maybe

possibly

been right that Thursday night

when she came into the living room--slash--kitchen--slash--dining room

and said,

"you'll never be any better than me."

that was it.

no explanation, no conversation.

and so the daughter tried not to think about that night often

and

she leaned back as far as balance would allow

she broke curfew religiously

she saved no money. fuck a rainy day.

the whole world is a cloud

and she smoked

good lord, how she smoked ...

if her mother was aware

of anything but herself

then possibly, through psychological negative reinforcement and reverse psychology,

she could've raised the next president

but she wasn't

and so her daughter was destined

to fall