Cursed Genetics

A Poem by Christina

A poem about my parents. I wrote the bones of it a long time ago and decided to finally polish it up a bit.

I have her brunette hair
That shines with auburn in the sunlight,
I have her freckles
Sprinkled on my cheeks and shoulders
Like powdered sugar,
I have the same crooked teeth
She was bullied for in school,
I have her obstinance
And her need to always be right,
I have her mental illness,
I have her negative body image,
I have her lack of self-respect,
And her hope in hopeless people.

I have his moles,
Like tiny brown hills that pop up on my neck,
I have his nearly translucent skin
That never tans and always burns,
I have his favorite band
And his love of rock'n'roll,
I have his selfishness and irresponsibilty,
I have his need to be alone,
I have his self destructive behavior,
I have his commitment issues,
I have his secrets and his demons
And the habit of drowning them in alcohol.