By The Way, Bam

By The Way, Bam (Randyjw; July 20, 2022)

 

I don’t see how you can blame him

for being the way he is

the foundations shook from the beginning

being poured on concrete too thin

 

The bad luck problems were at least attended

through extended family and friends

and the good sense to knit all the chaos together

through the core of one family domain

 

But so much criticism heaped upon him

and all this venom upon your tongue

Osmosis didn’t work past hedonism

and you gave up before you’d begun

 

It’s no wonder that you wind up

with another victim

the guilt-ridden survivor,

salvation’s sister

 

The fair-haired striver

the over-achieving girl wonder

who will try, and fail, often

to protect her brother

 

Disadvantaged at birth

through your choices and hers

far worse than one dog’s life

unlearned and untaught

 

Written off as unworthy

a hopeless, lost cause

just an aberrant freak-show

with no stands of applause

 

There’s still some time left

You can teach him how to begin

So, why are you so against it

When, after all, he is your son