in my dreams

in my dreams i am a mother

in my dreams i am alone

i have no mother

i search in vain for pathways

burnt lines on olive skin

take my first steps

white teeth in  my peripheral vision

in my dreams i am a mother

in my dreams i am alone

i search in vain for a familiar voice

a voice that knows my face by heart

speak my first words

someone laughs, casting light in my direction

in my dreams i am alone

i have no mother

my books are empty pages

chewed at the corners

my face is never clean

in my dreams i am alone

a shiny, opulent version of myself

mouth open, but i have learned no words

i am a mother

a ghost

always looking

watching no one watching me