20160619 (pop's day)

Just one of these little boogers on the loose can make you a dad

We’ve got Fathers’ Day backwards.

Fathers should be sending their

Children cards. Depending of course

On the motility of one’s sperm, 

It’s not all that difficult to become 

A father. Remembering the boff

That made you a father takes

Considerable effort while the 

Actual deed may not have been

Sexually remarkable at all—

Broken condoms, not pulling 

Out anywhere near in time,

Not to mention prematurity 

Or failure to satisfy. “Actually,

Son, you were the product of

Make-up sex when neither 

Of us was really contrite.”

My case is fatherhood doesn’t

Deserve such honored recognition.

Even the same tie given every

Year is still way beyond merit.

What’s considerable is the child’s

Survival through the years when

They are teaching the fathers with

Mixed success exactly how to be 

A parent—what some boys need—

What some girls need. Show me a

Parent who’s done everything 

Right and I’ll show you a character

In some novel authored by a child

Of considerable insensitivity to the

Failures of real human beings.

Parents make fusses when they 

Shouldn’t then overlook what

Really makes a difference. They’ll

Take you places you have no 

Interest in going and wonder why

You’re not pleased. They’ll give

You things you don’t want and

Withhold what you deeply desire.

Blessed be the child not just “who’s

Got his own,” but whose own will

Let you talk to them, the ones

Who know they’re not always

Right or will admit it when

They’re wrong. The new Fathers’

Day cards might read, “I’m sorry,

Guys, I worked my ass off for

Hours at my job and lied to

Myself that I was doing it for

You to go to good schools when

Actually I was hungry for the

Glory I could easily accomplish

In my career—taking care of you

Really scared me.” Or, “Maybe 

I pushed you all too hard to make

You little clones of me—pushy,

Insensitive, driving, inwardly

Inadequate, sometimes jealous of

The abilities you had that I didn’t.”

Or, “I’m grateful you were strong 

Enough to get by despite my 

Overbearing/ignoring you entirely

While you were growing up.”

Or, “I know I favored your brother

Over you. But he was sporty/bookish

And I was bookish/sporty and could

Easily identify with him. I’m glad

You’re maturing despite me.”

Yep. That’s how I found it. Anyone

Who tells you otherwise 

Can't handle the truth.

c. J.S.Manista, 2016