My girls are expecting,
New babies are a joy, excitement is mounting,
Come September, two more treasures
There will be eight.
Daughter two calls
She is doing well, baby growing, kicking.
She has fifteen weeks to go.
Her son, he is seven, he is excited,
The new dad, his first, in his nervousness
Fusses over my daughter, wants only the best.
But in the midst of this excitement,
Of families growing, new life emerging
There lurks in the shadows a malevolence.
After fifteen years, still a bitterness, unable, unwilling
To accept children grown to adults,
Making decisions, directing their lives.
Negativity seeps into every conversation
Children made to feel inadequate
Unworthy, not up to scratch, less than the other sister
One has married, one has chosen not to,
Equally good parents, equally loving,
But one deemed second best,
And rightfully pissed.
But worse, much worse,
A mother who alienates
Herself from a family who offer so much
To have thrown in their faces
‘You don’t measure up,
I don’t approve,
You are far less than the other.’
Sadly that’s your style,
Divide and conquer
One against the other
Fracture and destroy.
Or so you’d like.
As much as you try, desire it
We know it wont happen
For their love is strong,
Sisters united against a common foe
Too robust now, no longer children.
They have another parent, stronger
Loving and caring, supportive and there.
He will not allow them
To succumb to your taunts.
They are determined,
Loyal always to each other,
Leaving you to wallow
In your own filth.
The loathing you created
Has poisoned them against you
My children avoid you
The obscenity of that alone
Harbours my own loathing.
How sad for you and them.
Where are you?
In moments when they call me
Distressed from prior interactions
I ask, where… is…
The mother my child is entitled to?
Written for: http://mindlovemisery.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/prompt-46-bitter-loathing/
Morpethroad 
Oh wow Michael you can feel the distress and the agony that last line was intensely powerful what a miserable situation. (hugs) The girls are lucky to have you
Sadly it is based on a true event from this past week. I find it hard to believe.
It is hard to believe and you should not have to believe it because it should not happen
Sorry thanks so much for the support and lovely comment.
Oh dear Michael, this is so filled with angst and disappointment and genuine love for your children!!! What an amazing dad you are!! I’m happy your children have such love from their father.
Thanks so much Oli we are all lucky, they are an amazing group of people. Somehow despite everything they have turned out well. And they love and tolerate their dad.
What’s not to love?!!! As long as kids have one dependable and loving parent, they are richer than you know! My mother loved me and my sister 10 times over and I never EVER lacked that lovin 🙂
Thanks so much Oli I do appreciate your support and comment.
Such raw emotions-how do you manage to express that bitterness,that redemption,that strong bond,that sadness and that love so well Michael?I am continuously amazed by the ease with which you keep writing these gems-wow!
Thank you so much Atreyee, that is a lovely comment. They come out as I feel the words and how I want to shape them. This piece very much comes from my heart.
It shows:-)Loved it!
My heart goes out to you and the girls. What a sad and completely wretched situation.
Thank you Lyn, it may read that way but there is far too much good going on to be dwelling too much on the negative. Even when such things as I write about here occur we are always aware we don’t have to be drawn into her world.
Absolutely! Love your kids, love your grandkids, that’s what’s important.
This actually broke my heart but probably not for the same reasons as others see. To see children seeing a parent as a foe is so sad. Even with my divorce, my children gravitated towards me but I do what I can to make sure they have a good relationship with their father. Our marriage was our problem, not theirs. Our issues were between us, not the children. Sadly, they get the fallout but I am thankful they do not see him as a foe even when they are still working on repairing what was broken. At first my children did see it as us against him and I quickly tried to correct that.
As you are aware this is not a situation any of us want but despite attempts by all my children to patch up with their mother she doesn’t seem to understand they are adults and so capable of their own decisions. I agree my marriage issues were not the issues of my children but sadly it never stayed that way. Thanks for reading Anja and commenting.
Marriage issues do not stay between the adults but it is up to the parents to limit what they can. It is natural for a child to take sides with the parent that seems more victimized. Children deal with the fall out but there comes a point when the children are adults and the other parent needs to step back some and let them find their way to healing. Support the healing not continued anger is how I see things.
Most painful poem! I am sorry the situation cannot be easier for everyone.
Thanks Gabriella we are doing ok despite everything.
I know what it’s like to deal with one parent who is sometimes unreasonable. It’s difficult at best. At least your children have you to go to. In the end, the mother is the one that loses the most and that is so sad in it’s way. But it comes down to choices. HER choices. It’s a sad poem Michael.
Thanks Jackie it is but it is how it us and doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Thanks again for your comment.
Very powerful Michael, it tells an entire life story with such economy and precision and the last line is a killer! 🙂 🙂
Thanks so much Helen. I appreciate you reading.
wow – this is amazingly written but must be very, very heartbreaking to live.
Thanks Pooky despite the pain that exists my kids and I are very optimistic, we do not allow this behaviour to stop us being the people we want to be.
That shows such strength of character – both on your part and theirs. What a great unit you must be together.
Thank you, on all our parts we have lived with this so long we can laugh about it a lot, we don’t allow it to dominate our lives, we have far more important immediate things to concentrate on. Each of my children have their own lives now they do not have to engage any longer with negative forces.
Fortunately they have each other & their wonderful dad.
{Hugs}
Thank you RoSy we are lucky.
It is hard to comprehend a mother causing pain for and amongst her children. Arguments, spats are one thing, but mind games slowly chipping away at their sense of self and trying to destroy who they are is abhorrent. Thankfully they have you for support and the love that they don’t receive from their mother.
Thank you Jenny we are doing ok.