I present my children as a gift to the world
They are as flawed as I
Only in different places
While I polished out some tarnish
Fresh woundedness was surfacing elsewhere
I present my children as a gift to the world
They are the dreams I didn’t know I had
They replace the dreams I finally had to lose
In order to be whole
And attempt to be wholly present
I present my children as a hope to the world
Could the future look like this
All soft cheeked and merciful
Dragging a stick for discovery
For neither damage nor harm
I present my children as a light to the world
It may be foolish hope but
Since they have extinguished a bit of my darkness
It would be more foolish
Not to try
I present my children in an attempt to carry on what I couldn’t finish
Couldn’t start
Or perhaps was so immersed in that I couldn’t see
Namely this great creating work of being human
In all its tiny pathos
I present my children exactly as they are
Shaped
Dented and dazzling
and I rest
In peace