Belligerent Poetry

talking to my father

growing up is never easy anyway
and some people never manage
i'm grateful though for living long enough
to untangle my situation from
our language
to be able to stand here and think
together about the same things

we could not do this
when i was sixteen
clarity now that only comes with time
amazing how the years mellow our minds
me twenty three
him fifty
and both of us appreciate
this chance
taken as it has years, tears, and three countries
to achieve
these two weeks.

-wil 5.26.03