I'll never understand why
You seemed to resent me so.
When I was a child
You took exception
To my presence
When all I asked
Was love and acceptance.
As a teen
You made sure I knew
That no boy, or man,
Would ever want me
And questioned the sincerity
Of my friends.
As an adult
You kept me close 
In a fierce grip
Of low self esteem
And crippling guilt,
Making certain
That escape
Was near impossible.
Now you're gone
And I am learning to live
Without your immediate influence.
It is hard, so hard,
Because I wasn't prepared
For independence.
I think I must know
How a fledgling feels
When it suddenly finds
It has wings,
But doesn't know how
To use them.