My Perfect Daughter' by Mileva Anastasiadou

My perfect daughter is out at night, dancing, drinking and she is safe, safe, for men won’t harm her, won’t touch her, unless she wants them to, she’s not afraid, when she forgets herself, when she has fun, she calls and says, I’ll be late mom, and she comes home, I make her breakfast, she says, I went there and there and there, and I did that and that and that and I hear her stories, I live the fun, as if I were there too, I smell the joy, the youth, the innocence.

My perfect daughter is on the streets, walking, marching, she’s strong, confident, she won’t back down, she raises her voice, shouts loud, she shouts for me, for everybody, and she is safe, safe, not beaten, not bruised, when she comes home, I make her dinner, she says, we went on and on and on and we claimed that and that and that and I hear her stories, I live the excitement, as if I were there too, I smell the urge, the strength, the power.

My perfect daughter complains sometimes, she’s not that perfect, not all the time, she says I expect too much, from her, from life, but in the end she’s fine with me, she’s safe, safe, she says, thanks mom, and she is grateful I didn’t let her come here, and I’m happy, happy she lives only inside my head.