Brian Trimboli
THINGS MY SON SHOULD KNOW AFTER I’VE DIED
I was young once. I dug holes
near a canal and almost drowned.
I filled notebooks with words
as carefully as a hunter loads his shotgun.
I had a father also, and I came second to an addiction.
I spent a summer swallowing seeds
and nothing ever grew in my stomach.
Every woman I kissed,
I kissed as if I loved her.
My left and right hands were rivals.
After I hit puberty, I was kicked out of my parents’ house
at least twice a year. No matter when you receive this
there was music playing now.
Your grandfather isn’t
my father. I chose to do something with my life
that I knew I could fail at.
I spent my whole life walking
and hid such colorful wings.
–from Rattle #29, Summer 2008
While I'm being vaguely sappy, figure I may as well continue.
Do we really have any idea who our parents are? I have hard enough time remembering my fathers birthday, as far as his favorite ice-cream or favorite child hood memory?
Then again, I don't know my favorite childhood memory...
But really, its not even so important who they were, not that who they were is not important, but more that who they were has made them who they are.
You know how your mother flinches every time you play a certain song. Did you ever think there was a reason behind that. A bad memory perhaps? A fight, a break-up?
What about the story behind your dad's favorite sweater? Maybe it was from an old girlfriend, or his uncle gave it to him.
Of course its not like parents are people, psh. Its the biggest disillusionment all children have to through. The realization that there parents are people, only human, just like them.
Who knows, they could tell you something interesting, or something you needed to hear.
*Gag* I think I'm promoting open communication between children and their parents.... : )
3 comments:
I have always been close to my dad, we just get along. My parents got divorced when I was young and I lived with him. Not as close to my mom though, if you asked me the same questions about her I probably couldn't answer you.
wow...that was deep.
indeed deep dear friend i feel like i know a fair amount bambi is why mom wont even start an animal movie and dad carved his brothers initials into their moms nice chest and his brother got in trouble for it he used to spend summer in west va when his gma was sick ( this explains a lot lol) but yes i think its fun to find out things about their past tho i think i did find something that they dont kno i found that i dont know if i should say to them that i found out or what not but yea cool to think about
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