Needs

I wanted to tell you of its deep exhaustion, 
this self when it's at the level of no adornment, 

without calculation, without pretense. It's been 
trained so well and long to hide the signs of its true
 
nature even from itself— In school, the nuns 
gave girls lessons in deportment that included 

walking up and down the stairs only on the balls 
of their feet; not to speak out of turn, and without 

changing the inflection of voice. Sacrifice, 
the greatest mother-virtue that always puts 

the needs of others before your own. But I wake 
sometimes in the middle of the night to wonder

who will care for me when I can no longer;
who will smooth out a space for rest.