Forgiving Dad

I’m supposed to,

but what would it prove?

What’s it like to live

without a bottle

of pills?

I lost track of scanning a list,

making decisions over

Mom’s suggestions.

I tossed the past over my shoulder,

surrendering to memories of which

I’d resigned over the calling

of an autumn evening

that erased the summer of 1988.

I teared up over his childhood

excuses as he backhanded my eyes dry.

To forgive him before he dies

next week, or to let the past

settle within his heart

as he’d never wanted me

from the start.

But now that death called his name,

the only one he wanted to see was me.

By Andy Cooper

From: United States

Website: https://drinkcoffeewrite.online/

Twitter: AC0040