1. Mother's Expectations vs. Daughter's Independence: The daughter feels a pressure to conform to her mother's expectations and societal norms, which is represented through imagery such as "my mother's voice, drilling my bones." This conflict between the daughter's desire for autonomy and her mother's wishes creates tension and inner struggle.
2. Emotional Distance and Connection: The daughter experiences a sense of emotional distance from her mother, symbolized by the image of "the ice we walk on." While she acknowledges the bond between them, there seems to be a lack of genuine understanding and connection. This distance creates an emotional rift and heightens the conflict.
3. Identity and Self-Definition: The daughter grapples with defining her own identity, separate from her mother's influence. She feels like she is constantly being compared to her mother and struggling to forge her unique path. This internal conflict relates to the broader theme of self-discovery and the tension between external expectations and personal aspirations.
4. Unresolved Feelings: The poem portrays a sense of unresolved emotions and lingering resentment between the mother and daughter. This conflict suggests a history of tension and misunderstandings that have yet to be fully addressed or reconciled.
Overall, the conflict in "Daughter" is rooted in the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship, where conflicting emotions, societal pressures, and individual desires collide, leading to a complex interplay of love, resentment, and the quest for self-realization.