lessons

hands are not for hitting
but how do i tell her
hands are for
scratching  
tearing
destroying
anyone who does not
respect her no

use your words
but how do i teach her
she is growing up
in a world
where her words
won’t be heard
in the first place

please and thank you
but how do i show her
politeness
has often stood in the way
of justice and equity

and when lessons learned
collide with
lessons experienced
what do i tell her
when she asks
why
all her lessons
were wrong

mixed messages may be good
for political campaigns
and tv tropes
but not for little girls
and moms
facing a world
full of contradictions
and
wandering hands