Before you go, Pater

“a hollowed-out 4-bedroom house”

Before you go, Pater

Fathers take us by the hand;

they raise us the best they can.

But, shortcomings common

to the common man

diminish the king of

castle and clan

to a “Cats in the Cradle”

comeuppance chastened villain.

Before you go, Pater,

grant me one final favor:

Promise me, someday

I’ll see you smile again.

Eyes that used to teem with rage,

somehow, grew more kind with age.

We rended; we mended;

we turned the page.

Waving you off

with tears in my eyes,

whispering unrequited

plaintive goodbyes.

A baton passed on

from father to son;

a hollowed-out

four-bedroom house:

Population? one.