What is the poem "To You Who Would Wage War Against Me" by Kateri Akiwenzie about?

Poetry is all subjective. The interpretation of a poems
lies heavily on what a reader is bring to the reading. So, what I can offer you is my
understanding and interpretation of the poem.

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there are many lines
you have not
traced on my palms
still
you think you know me

when i speak
you nod knowingly
as if

you've already read my mind
and are only politely acknowledging

the confirmation of my spoken
words

This stanza, of "To You
Who Would Wage War Against Me", signifies the stereotypes that people hold when they
base our character upon preconceived ideas about who we are.  The look at us, our
clothing, our mannerisms, the way we speak ("there are many lines you have not traced on
my palms").  The speaker of the poem knows that those around her do not listen- how many
times have we been in this situation? We are talking and the only recognition we receive
is that of a superficial nature-recognition that I am speaking, but they are not really
listening ("are only politely acknowledging the confirmation of my spoken
words").

By the end of the poem, it seems that a mother is
talking to her child's father.  She feels betrayed that he has not taken true time to
get to know her as a person- he only knows her
superficially.

She fears that her daughter can see her
fears, but her only thoughts are that her daughter has brought her more emotion than any
fight ever has.

The narrator feels abandoned emotionally by
the father of her child.  In the end, she knows that her daughter is the only one who
can truly see inside her. It is her daughter's true understanding that calms her fears
about the contemplations.