I choose to see my mother

I choose to see my mother when I look in the mirror
I choose to hear her laugh when I do
When I ask someone what happens at the end of the movie we are watching
I know who I got it from
I see her eyes in mine
My smile in hers
And I wonder why I ever longed for anything more
When I laugh
I choose to mute the absent man
And when I look in the mirror I choose to ignore someone who was never there to begin with
I choose to see where I came from and who I’ll become
And I’ll wonder why I ever needed anything more