You were proud
on the day
you fathered a son.
You thumped your chest,
and pumped your fists
and the glow in your eyes
said it all.

That was then!

Now many years later
the roles stand reversed
Is your son proud of you, his dad?
Have you stood the test of time
and done your bit by your lad?

When was it last that
together
you watched the sun set?
Or shared a private joke?
Can you even remember his
date of birth?
His favourite colour?
The music he unwinds with?
The names of two of his
best friends?

It’s not the quantity of time
spent together,
but the quality
you say
in acute embarassment of your
self-centred ways.

Go on,
face the mirror of truth
and own up to the crippling fact
that your son
is a
total stranger.

That in all these years
you were
a mere biological father
wherein nature played her part …
Admittedly,
what was missing all along
was a parental heart!