showers are often taken for granted

a comfort for the morning, afternoon, late night, whenever

consistently enveloping you in that same warm blanket

always at that perfect angle

so you never have to put in unnecessary effort

but showers can vary

nearly every time i visited my mother

new place new companion new shower

always one underlying feature

unfamiliarity

icy cold quick bursts piercing

scalding hot steady stream suffocating

lackadaisical drizzle uneven on one side confusing

all completely different

one without a spigot, essentially a hose

each with a different set up, a new set of instructions

which way is hot which way is cold how do i turn it off

i haven’t showered in the same house as my mother in five years

i no longer have to rely on a haphazard note or uneven heating

my shower’s foundation is strong i am strong i can turn things on