To my child that I don't have, in the event of me leaving a collection of written texts for him/her after my untimely death.
When I got older I saw my parents change
from caregivers to care recipients
To be a child is to blindly open your beak wide,
be fed,
and not consider your taking that for granted.
To grow older is to forage yourself
To in turn feed your parents when they turn into little birds
And to realise that it hurts
That the roles have now been reversed
I personally like a straightforward leader
It gives me peace of mind
Just so, I tried to lead you in a straightforward way, whenever
I was afraid you would stray
If you would have had to take care of me
You wouldn't have seen a leader
I would have been a child again
Gentle and curious
Ignorant, but
An equally real me
Now I died early
And you will be spared the sorrow
Of having to nurse your father
Can you mourn sorrow that you've never known?
You have lost your father only once
Along with the hidden gift
Of seeing your dad in a new light
YOU ARE READING
Entry
PoetryPoems about desire, struggle and beauty in the moment. From sweet to grim to humorous, Entry is a search for identity and authenticity. Read Naar Binnen for the original poems in Dutch.
