Sisters, Daughters

Like the exquisitely fragile
appearing strands of a spider's
web with their tensile strength
meant to capture and to hold,
a sister who has shared your
childhood absorbs an intimate
understanding of your emotions
and moods and only she is able
to plumb the full depth of your
despair offering insight and
comfort. Like the tide ebbing
and flowing only a daughter
is capable of delicately playing
with her mother's strengths and
weaknesses, probing and 
exploring while taking note of
reactions to her skilled and
none-too-loving manipulation.
The sister, with her own trials
to gird her against the confusion
that invariably ensues with
disbelief that one so loved could
return spite and venom, sighs in
patient resignation, extending
her love to fill the vacuum another 
has so balefully surrendered.