Dad wrote a speech with me
It was said we all were once warriors, once
Face paint and weapons, tacit agreements
Amongst headless angels, bodies scarred
With dreams of retiring, popping quick like
Water crushing your ribs free from all air…
And alphabetic cereals, soups, the fat wallet
Father carried side pocket for as long as you
Knew him, before the divorce and after he
Helped you write your graduation speech.
I realized he could be funny, be witty,
As he seldom seemed either during his time
In flesh. Well…beyond bar guy humor
And maybe round the hall water cooler at
The claims office; front line of insurance
Policy and adjustments, paper clips of men
And women in the American southwest
Hold insecurities of a species upright…
Cabinet of wild loopholes, expected rules.
Sean J Mahoney lives in Santa Ana, California with Dianne, her mother, 4 dogs, and 4 renters. He believes that Judas was a way better singer than Jesus and dark chocolate is extraordinarily good for people. Sean helps run the Zoeglossia booth at the annual AWP bookfair...poetry by crips. He is a Zoeglossia Fellow. Sean co-edited the first 3 volumes of the MS benefit anthology series Something On Our Minds. His chapbook Politics or Disease, please… is available from Finishing Line Press.