Protection

You don’t know me

In fact at all.

Yet you raised me

Anger billowing inside my chest

up into my lungs, choking

my esophagus

and spat onto this paper.

I did not move away

far from home

and forget you.

I’m growing, changing, adulting

you can’t let go.

Emotionally invested, strangling

your daughter’s aspiration

with your defense being

protection.

When really,

you need be to protected

from yourself.