Today I read my poetry
and people loved it.
I was elated.
Then my mother’s voice
piped in.
“Pipe down!
You are too excited.
Pipe down right now.”
So! I simply spoke up
and asked the audience
if I had to pipe down
or not.
They all said,
No! Not at all!
Their voices giving me
Permission
to not have to pipe down
erased my mother’s command
to pipe down.
I am so happy
being free of my mother
telling me to pipe down!