Father,
Fear me,
But let it remain,
Like so many other things
Between us,
Unspoken.
I am not,
Nor ever was,
Your darling boy,
Your blue-eyed boy,
Your blond-haired boy,
Rapt,
Spreading my small hand
Across the vastness of your palm,
Giddy,
For a moment on your lap
And a sip of bitter beer,
Sniveling,
That you must leave so soon.
These words tender no allegory of penance and love.
I only hold you now,
In merciless silence,
So that I may feel the final breath
Depart your frail body.
Author's note: Corpus Christi is the name of a city in south Texas near the Gulf of Mexico. Corpus Christi translates from Latin to mean "body of Christ."