Father

Father, even if you weren't my father,
Were you someone I passed on the street
And only remembered you
For the shine of your forehead
Or the slight roll of your walk
For your own self I'd love you.
Remembering how you saw, one spring morning,
A rainbow on the wall the length of my arm
That disappeared as if you had flipped a switch
When you walked in front of it
And with what joy you shared the science of this with me;
Then, when you pointed out the prism on the windowsill
You showed us the wonder of light by making rainbows
Dash out on our arms and legs like fireflies.
We, your children, stood watching your smiling eyes
From the kitchen door.

And I remember how, another time,
You chased me around the perimeter of our home
Gasping and shouting for me to stop my unruly legs.
But when I, stumbling on a gnarly tree root,
Cowered in front of you with my hands held high,
Your heart turned soft
For you saw yourself tall and terrifying as
the giant in Jack &; The Beanstalk
Above your helpless child.
Relenting then, you took me in your arms
In all my terror: to tell me a story
Of a beast who turned into a prince
To save a beautiful little dimple-cheeked girl.

Father, even were you not my father,
Were you some nameless nobody
I waited in line behind at a McDonald's one day,
Were you the shoe salesman that
Told me corny jokes while calming my fears
Of pink high heels and silly ribbons,
Were you the bus driver that gave me a sucker
When I was all alone and lost in the world,
Were you just a man I passed on the street
With eyes a tender blue
That smiled at me while my heart was breaking,
For your kindness, your tender beautiful meek soul,
I would love above all other men
So love you.