Happy Father's Day

FATHER WAS

 

Father was digging post holes

     and barbecuing,

Killing snails and painting

     cabinets.

 

Father was taking the hook

     out of your jacket, and unsnapping

     your line.

 

Father was building doghouses,

     and letting you drink a little beer

     while Mama wasn't looking.

 

Father was the guy that put up

     pickles and slipped you some gum

     on the side.

 

Father was forgetting to pick

     you up at the party, and buying

     you a sucker on the way home.

 

Father was planting potatoes

     and letting you put the eyes in

     the holes.

 

Father was who you asked

     first if you wanted to go

     grasshopper hunting, because you

     knew Mama was scared of snakes.

 

Father was superman until

     you were thirteen, when he suddenly

     became Moses.

 

--Michael Babel, ARENA 1977