Mother Knows Best
Mother Knows Best is a raw and unflinching poetry collection that confronts one of society's most dangerous myths: that a mother's love is always safe.
Written from the perspectives of a child who endured, a sister who protected, and a woman who survived, this debut collection traces a childhood shaped by abuse, neglect, addiction, and silence. Through fragmented memory and honest verse, Kara Murphy gives voice to the experiences so often dismissed, denied, or hidden behind closed doors.
These poems explore the lasting impact of physical and emotional violence, the burden placed on older siblings who become protectors too soon, and the quiet devastation of words that never leave. At the heart of the book is a powerful contrast-between a mother who caused harm and a father who stayed, fought, and became the foundation for survival.
Mother Knows Best is not a story about forgiveness.It is a story about truth.
About naming what happened. About breaking cycles.
About choosing a different ending. For readers who grew up too fast, who were told to stay quiet "for the sake of family," or who are still learning how to separate love from harm, this collection offers recognition, validation, and solidarity. This book is proof that sometimes, mother didn't know best-and surviving that truth can be the beginning of healing.
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