Friday, May 4, 2018

When I Dream of My Son

I had dreams about my son
when he swam in my womb
i want to say contentedly
but no, he was full of energy

Then he was born
arriving at a later date
than he was due
but fast in his arrival

after weeks of making
his impending arrival known
my son was born
but not the one I had seen

It was many years
before he became
the son he had been
the one I had seen

He taught me chess
he was strict, I tried
he made me exercise
in Rehab, I cried

He writes short
tough love notes
"eat right, exercise
see a credentialed therapist"

you’re too young for this shit.

He let me play his drums
it made my anger at
his drumming father 
lessen just a little bit

I dream about my son
and every dream is
one less dream
of my father’s unseen hands

I dream about my son
and every dream is
one less dream
about his father

When I dream about my son
I wake up with a smile
that he exists, a man
and that I exist at all.