Not My Parents Child

Not My Parents Child

was i ever,
my parents child?
am i me?
what my parents imagined me to be?
or am i someone quite different
am i everything they dreamed of
do i have the values,
they tried to instill into me
am i everything they wanted me to be?
am i ever going to be,
my parents child?
their perception of me has probably changed
when i was smaller,
they probably wanted me to be taller
i was never a straight a student
i was too inquisitive and restless for that
if i am not my parents child,
what do i lack?
what do they wish they had given me
everything but stability?


James Garratt – July 1995