A hauntingly beautiful collection of poetry that dwells in the struggles of self-love, grief, abuse and family. Kinder, Softer, Better mother says suffering will make you kinder, softer, better. she lights a candle. sends you prayers. dreams of the person that will come back. different from the one that is gone. she speaks of your shattered arms, bloody head, broken feet. how they kept you for days in a cold concrete cell and send you back in sweltering heat with nothing on your back. she says suffering will make you kinder, softer, better. I keep the questions locked in my mouth. why is suffering the key? why couldn't you be softer, kinder, better on your own? is a broken body the same as a broken mind, heart, soul? she asks if I want to speak with you I shake my head. the words I want to say will break the spell over our heads. people don't change. please don't come back. this time, just this time, I hope to be wrong. Love Is Not for You and Me were you raised with your mother kneeling at the feet of your father with his hands on her neck like a collar did you learn the tremors and screams of her throat the scars on her hands the welts on her back did you see the smile on her face tight-lipped to hide the blood between her lips did you hear your father call it love is that why you seek the same from me Shape of Me how can I hate what you love but as I look in the mirror I can't find what you see when you name me beautiful and place prayers at my feet you are foolish for loving the first person that offered you the recipe to kindness how can you find comfort in the swell of my arms how can you peel all the layers of filth and ugly and dirt find something small and broken and name it love where can I find eyes like yours so I won't lay at night measuring time waiting for you to realize that love is not something that comes in the shape of me