Mother Dearest 

I am an angel in the mirror 
A swirl of silk and lace 
Smooth and pure 
Do you like it, my wedding dress
that is my gilded cage? 
You turn away, mother
but not before I see your eyes 
windows to the soul, they call them 
betrayal is what I see

You think me blind to the thorns 
which pierce my own skin 
but I am all too aware 
of all of them
of her and 
nightmare to my eyes 
of you 
your moans and your cries as I sit 
silent in the other room 
the happy bride

It is not love that ties me here
I am not as naive as that 
but passion 
passion he demands of me
drawing it from me 
until I am empty 
you would understand
so well 

I can't condemn what I myself am guilty of
how do you stand it, mother? 
the weight of a million swords on your breast 
as you look at me 
aren't a beautiful, in my wedding dress? 
I would pity you
if you did not pity me

-----
Author's notes: 

Kanae deserves a lot more recognition. It's true that in the Black Rose Arc 
she is only suspicous of Akio and Anthy (well, mostly of Anthy, but she 
might have fears that she wouldn't even acknowledge in the seminar), but I
doubt her instinctive dislike of Anthy went away after her duel. After that
episode she basically disappears, and I don't see why she couldn't discover
a bit more about her fiancee and the things going on almost in front of her
face. There's not really anything else to say about this one, except that I
like the title more than the poem itself. But I'm not going in for any 
Soviet-style self criticisms, so tell me what you think at 
rachel_rewind@hotmail.com.