don't you want to know, she says

please don't bring up my

mother again, I tell my therapist
as she sits

there drinking her tea, a big
long yellow
pad

balanced on her thin knee.

but, she says, it's the root
cause
of why you're here today,

daddy too.

daddy? I say. please, not him
as well.

yes, yes, I know they were both
a mess.
incapable of raising children,

but can't we keep them out
of the discussion.

but, maybe just once?

she sips her tea, smiles
and shakes her head politely
and says

no. we have to go there, don't
you want to know why

you've picked such crazy
psychotic women
as your partner all these years?

I guess so, I tell her. settling
back into the big couch,

grabbing the box of Kleenex
on the table.

okay, let's go. i'm ready, but
as usual,
i'm scared.