prom coming up,
barely care for the day,
mama said
i need a date,
but i’d rather stay home
and play games,
elijah got sniped
and he yells in the mic,
“that’s so gay!”
with barely a thought.
mom told us
to watch the way
we talked,
but mom,
it’s just words,
“you’ll learn when you’re older,”
she’d say,
just rolled my eyes
while mom made me try
a stupid suit
for the stupid night.
forced myself
to put the games away,
flew solo to the dance
thinking i was
just killing time,
until i found the lady
to whom i’d share my life,
and suddenly,
i felt like my best self,
moved with a purpose
and that was her,
a life with love
was a life worth living.
still found time
with the guys,
king of the game
and andy would say
“that shit is gay,”
she never liked it,
but honey,
it’s just words,
“you’ll learn when you’re older,”
she’d say,
just rolled my eyes
as i followed her to bed,
tried to stop saying it
but it was ingrained,
decades of nasty habits
left me thinking backwards,
but never looking inward
long enough to think about
what’s going on outside.
now he’s got his prom
on the way,
mama’s excited
‘cause her young man’s
found himself a date,
couldn’t wait for him
to find a girl
like i had—
“but dad…
i’m taking aiden.”
my heart’s
in my feet
while grandma’s
giving him a big squeeze.
how could it be?
he never told me?
and it flashes back
all at once,
we thought it was
just words,
but you never know
the power they hold
until it’s one of yours.
the day to see him off,
still learning
to accept it all,
and i see the two together,
their eyes light
the way mine did
when i met his mom,
and suddenly,
i’m overcome,
tears start to fall
and he runs to my arms.
“i’m proud of you, son,
and i love you as you are.”
give aiden a handshake,
thank him
for showing my son
what love is,
hope one day
to welcome him into
the family,
walk them to the limo,
a wave as it drives away.
i had to learn
from the error in my ways,
he doesn’t need a lady
to make him better,
he found what i found
with his own,
a life with love
is a life worth living,
it might be different
but love stays the same,
and i’ll do everything i can
to keep them safe.
i learned when i got older.
