Parents’ Song
By April F. Masten, 1985
You say I look like my mother. Does that mean I look less like myself? I used to think it was awful. How could I ever be anyone else but her daughter? So, I moved away to where nobody knows you, Mom. I'm making friends of my own. And I'm finding it lonely when no one sees you in me. I'm not recognized in the grocery store anymore.
So, you tell me, you've heard my father. His performance so moving it brought you to tears. Oh, yes, you could say I'm his protégé, but I like to think that my poetry stands on its own. So, I moved away to where nobody knows you, Dad. I'm getting fans of my own. And I'm finding I like to sing your songs to my new friends. I feel real high when those words of yours make them cry.
All of my life I've been trying to make myself different from you. I would go to extremes in an argument to drive home my own point of view, and that's when someone would always lean over close to kindly say, “Hey, you know, you're just like your folks?” Oh, I know.
So, you tell me, I look like my mother, and my father emanates from my songs. Well, I'd like to say, I'm glad it's that way. Can you imagine not knowing where it came from? I moved away to where nobody knows you two, I'm making a home of my own. And it’s good that I made the move because if I hadn't I might not have known that I'm proud I'm yours. Thank God it shows.
By April F. Masten, 1985
You say I look like my mother. Does that mean I look less like myself? I used to think it was awful. How could I ever be anyone else but her daughter? So, I moved away to where nobody knows you, Mom. I'm making friends of my own. And I'm finding it lonely when no one sees you in me. I'm not recognized in the grocery store anymore.
So, you tell me, you've heard my father. His performance so moving it brought you to tears. Oh, yes, you could say I'm his protégé, but I like to think that my poetry stands on its own. So, I moved away to where nobody knows you, Dad. I'm getting fans of my own. And I'm finding I like to sing your songs to my new friends. I feel real high when those words of yours make them cry.
All of my life I've been trying to make myself different from you. I would go to extremes in an argument to drive home my own point of view, and that's when someone would always lean over close to kindly say, “Hey, you know, you're just like your folks?” Oh, I know.
So, you tell me, I look like my mother, and my father emanates from my songs. Well, I'd like to say, I'm glad it's that way. Can you imagine not knowing where it came from? I moved away to where nobody knows you two, I'm making a home of my own. And it’s good that I made the move because if I hadn't I might not have known that I'm proud I'm yours. Thank God it shows.
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