Giving In

I. Schooling

I learned well, enough,
to find right answers
& forgot most

what I didn’t learn
was leaving
well enough

alone.
I passed, am past
but still collecting bread crumbs

of years
of ways
of knowing.


II. Teaching

school
boys & girls
to play with words

is easier said
than done
if the story is told

with youth, enough,
& world
& time.

they give a present
with their listening,
humoring a man

not old enough
nor young enough
to know best how.


III. Fathering

is work enough
I will suppose
to make a life of it

a chance I’ll take
as soon as life decides
to future-make

this the toughest task
of all?
A bit of fake

a lot of love
I’ll give,
give, give

& when it’s time
give in
give up.