I have two daughters.

Yes, I do.

And with this prompt,

You could too.

 

But yours would never be perfect like mine,

Who always listen,

every time,

And perfectly do as I wish them do.

No, yours would have a flaw or two.

 

And yours, unlike mine,

might disagree,

were you to ask them do chores for me—

while mine do their chores without being asked,

–even the most egregious task.

 

Their rooms are spotless,

Their beds are made—

You’d never guess that’s where they laid,

when they went to bed at an early bedtime;

No playing games ‘til half-past nine.

 

Yours, I suppose, are on their cell too much,

Through breakfast, bath-time, school and lunch,

Glued to their messages, games and such.

I’m just sayin’; it’s just a hunch.

 

Are they kind and thoughtful, polite and a joy;

Speak when spoken to, hard to annoy;

Anticipate what their mother might need,

Generous givers, not given to greed,

Prayers, thinkers, and doers, too?

Love to learn most anything new?

 

I stand, again, before the mirror and preach,

To myself about what is out of their reach;

And remind myself that no matter the flaw,

They are my children, after all.

 

And years from now, when they’ve grown

And have a family of their own,

My grandchildren will behave perfectly,

Because, of course, they take after me.