All three of us had narcissistic moms
who gazed in mirrors more than at their girls.
They blocked our feelings with their upraised palms,
and teaching husband hunting, dropped no pearls
of useful wisdom. Each preferred her son,
and deprecated women when they could.
Transactional perspective formed their run,
and beauty, wealth and status were their good.

So we are linked by histories, but not
as similar in navigating years.
For all had fathers not to be forgot.
Although one drank too often, it appears,
and two did not assure the wife enough,
the third was made of strong and loving stuff.