Dad & Mom

Dad &  Mom

My daughter was born hero to her mother.* Every hero has a death wish

I begged my wife to put  I forgot this, when I held

her away and to trust  her little head. I forgot when I felt

that she would not need  her tiny fist

the girl. The baby encased a tight grip   wrapped around my finger.

around my ego, and I was so kind  I forgot and I pulled her

to her mother  to my chest and begged

for a time. The girl was small  in her tiny ear.

and quietly watched. Her gaze caught I forgot that she was

my drunk fists working to become

landing,  half girl

for her mother. And I burned  and half weapon;

with shame  To shield me,

for a time. The girl grew (I forgot that to want

to catch my fists to save another

with her arms and back and cheek is to want

bones. And the girl was to burn your bones)

a hero. and her mother she became a sea

was spared of ashes. 

my kindness.  

1 *Dad & Mom was inspired by the line, “My daughter was born hero to her mother;” from Marilyn Hacker’s Towards Autumn. This line begins the poem.