My Parents' Generation

Sometimes I wonder

If my parents' generation

Didn’t deflect the views of mine

By putting a whole generation down

If they listened.

Would they learn?

Would our words relieve them of pain?

Or release them from old beliefs that have worn them down?

If they would see

And hear the voices from their generation.

Realizing,

This is not

New

Or is the pain too much

Because the stories are too old

So better to attack those

Who start to make you question your ways

Then face that pain

And led like baggage

Would our mothers think they’re beautiful?

Finally stop picking apart their bodies?

Our fathers pushing down their tears?

Parents

Reclaiming the spirits beaten into hiding

Figuratively

Literally

From their childhood

Be able to hear their own

Ableism

Sexism

Racism

Classism

Fatphobia

Transphobia

On and on

Recognize it.

And question their words

Their internalized effect on their view of the world.

Would they be able to love themselves

Truly

Or work towards it

And help

Because when you call me a “snowflake”

I know you’ve slept your whole life

And I wish for you

To be able to beat your demons

If only to stop harming your children