My Mother

Today my heart broke open
A rose opening with such an ache of magnanimity
that its petals spilled into tears.
Today my love for my mother ran pure
Unadulterated by
Resistance
Judgment
Resentment.
Today I looked into the mirror of my ancestors and saw strength;
A gift, not a curse.
Fine clay to shape and transform,
Not mud to be cast aside as worthless,
Wishing I were something different.
Today my heart unfolded like a lotus,
Revealing the true essence of my mother
And her mother
And her mother before her --
Like matryoshka dolls.
Today I was grateful to be part of that feminine lineage.
Today my mother held me in a glow of unconditional love.
Letting go of all the weighty trappings I had
Placed upon her memory
Has set me free to love myself.
02/03/16