Told from the point of view of a child, the poem describes a girl who is hurt at home by her mother and cannot work out why. Each morning she wakes up hoping the night before was only a bad dream, and she tells herself her mother "really wasn't mean." That small wish shows how badly she wants her mother to be kind.
The second stanza lists what might be used to hurt her: a bat, a broomstick, a hanger, or just a hand. The ordinary household objects make the violence feel close and frightening. The line "A little or a lot" suggests the harm came in different amounts, but it hurt and confused her either way.
The final stanza turns to her question: why would someone who "claimed to care" shout, yell and pull her hair? The word "claimed" suggests she doubts that love. The mood is sad and bewildered. The short lines and simple rhymes echo a child's voice, which makes the pain feel even more raw.