To My Son

By Christian Martin

 
  1. This is for you my son,
  2. By this poem, my love I express,
  3. Before long I will be gone,
  4. In a place forever to rest.
  5.  
  6. I cherish your little face,
  7. Even when you cry, it’s with grace,
  8. I can see in your blue eyes,
  9. Where your future lies.
  10.  
  11. This morning I washed you lovingly,
  12. and you peed in my face playfully.
  13. To dry you, I held your tiny hand,
  14. While you babbled to no end.
  15.  
  16. You decided to play hide and seek
  17. While in your drawer, I had a peek,
  18. I found you in my closets,
  19. Trying to hide all your assets.
  20.  
  21. We went to the park to play,
  22. Where all an asshole had to say,
  23. To be with a boy, you must be gay
  24. I started to cry in rage and dismay.
  25.  
  26. It’s not the gay accusation
  27. That hurts the most, my son,
  28. It’s to be blamed of loving
  29. While others are free of hating.
  30.  
  31. To protect you I backed off,
  32. He took it as a sign to be rough,
  33. And tried to hit me with his fist,
  34. Even as my eyes were veiled in mist.
  35.  
  36. That day I decided not to fight,
  37. Because it seemed not right
  38. I know at that moment I had no choice,
  39. Although in it I could not rejoice.
  40.  
  41. As I ran home with you,
  42. That asshole in hot pursue,
  43. While in my arms, you cried
  44. And to console, I tried.
  45.  
  46. He shouted for all to hear
  47. Sissy son, Sissy dad
  48. That was too much to bear,
  49. And it made me mad.
  50.  
  51. I put you down to meet my foe,
  52. I did not have far to go,
  53. In a blink, he was on my back,
  54. By hatred his face ransacked.
  55.  
  56. To finish, I have to hurry
  57. My vision is getting blurry,
  58. As my life escapes from my wound,
  59. His knife, my vitals have found.
  60.  
  61. My son, this is my story,
  62. In your heart to carry,
  63. But to this love I must add,
  64. This message, however sad.
  65.  
  66. One day, you will be in the fray,
  67. And will have to decide which way,
  68. You want your life forever to sway,
  69. To be a sheep or to fight and stay.
  70.  
  71. For today I ask you to forgive me
  72. Even as my eyes no longer see,
  73. Promise me, my son, oh promise me,
  74. That you will forever be free.
  75.  
  76. Today my son, I heard you say,
  77. For the first time, on this day,
  78. This word precious amongst all,
  79. That word to remember until death falls;
  80.  
  81. “Daddy”