great

she always was great

you are pretty, they say,

but your mother always was

a great beauty

 

and I look upon the rows of

certificates and acknowledgements

and awards of my grandmother

 

you are smart, they say,

but your grandmother always was

a great mind

 

and I look into the mirror; I see my

too small eyes, too wide nose, too narrow lips

and I look through old report cards; I see

a smattering of grades that scream "average"

 

I am forever wanting to be one or the either

(sometimes, selfishly, both)

but walk a path of almost and maybes

and could have beens

 

but never quite what I'm expected to be

Reviews

[Joseph Eluzai]

dilemma. A great write! Keep writing!