Wishes for Daughters
I wish them the itch.
I wish them a public itch
And no way to scratch privately.
I wish them tighty-whities,
And a full-on erection.
I wish them the agony
Of pointing the wrong way.
Later I wish them erectile difficulties
And prescriptions pills like you
Wouldn't believe. Let their
Members flop where they may
When they meet someone special.
Let their member give no response.
Let them think they have accepted
The awkward attempt to contain it.
Then bring them to a prostate exam
So they may get the finger from a doctor
Not unlike themselves.
Ink
The needle flickers, I hear its
Buzz cut in and out, closer and closer.
The needle touches my skin,
Ink dispersing into my flesh
Leaving behind a colorful image.
Some call it defiling your body.
Some call it creative self expression.
I call it free will.
Celtic and Irish images painted
On my body. Symbols of my heritage.
The Trinity, the interconnection
Of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Two shamrocks on my spine.
One for my mother,
One for my father.
My two lucky charms.
The Canadian maple leaf,
Bright red, my mother's family.
A horse shoe and banner
That exclaims my “Irish Pride."
How can I explain to parents
Who come from a much different time?
When tattoos were for convicts and sailors,
Not for people, like me.
The ink in my skin is symbolic of me.
Wash once daily with warm soapy water,
Pat dry, and stay out of the pool.
Use plain unscented lotion.
And whatever you do,
Don't scratch.
Only to Fall
Scenario: You are the last leaf on
The tree in late autumn
Imagine you are that last leaf, alone
On a tree, just before winter,
The wind whipping you around,
Threatening to rip you from the only
Life you have ever known, and the
Harder the breeze blows, the tighter
You cling. Perhaps you refuse to
Understand letting go.
Something within you is strong, willful.
The change was slow, green turns to red,
Turns to orange, turns to yellow. Only
To fall. And one by one you have watched
Those around you disappear into the world.
The wind dies down, only for a moment.
And you feel a sense of calm for the first time
Ever. And you feel your branch wave you off.
As you drift backwards, seeing your tree fading
Into itself. But you cannot tell the distance
There is left to fall.
