A Poem for the New Year

My mother told me I was an attempt
to save a failing marriage
She also told me the song Tragedy
was popular when I was born
The marriage failed when I was two
and I became a mistake
Shifted back and forth
Like an unwanted guest
A stepmother who despised me
A  stepfather who resented me
And parents who never really wanted me
I learned you could live without love

But then my parents grew old
and needed me, and it sort of felt like love
so I gave them what they never gave me

Janice Kuykendall