he makes it difficult
no lesson too extreme -
hard fought success
too often unacknowledged,
exerts pressure
that man-handle
confidence and self-esteem
while re-defining manliness
as a matter of urgency

his shadowy presence
is embarrassingly unpredictable

he is,
he is the father of men

First published by Friendly Street in ‘New Poets 19’ Anthology
edited by Edie Eicas, 2018