The Dad I want and don’t want
Rode beside me
And in front of me
And even behind me
On those Sunday horseback rides
In Chula Vista, California
The Dad I want and don’t want
Sped me to school
And to shul
And even the pool
In that beautiful Delta 88
That was supposed to be Mom’s
The Dad I want and don’t want
Played monopoly
And rummy
And even some Frisbee
In those awful Mexican shirts
Before he left for Arizona
The Dad I want and don’t want
Would watch me from the pulpit
And from behind a cigarette
And even while koshering liver in the barbecue pit
With that critical seriousness
That made me feel so wrong
The Dad I want and don’t want
Barely made my bar mitzva
And no-showed my chuppa
And even neglected to send us a brakha
In his disconnected self righteousness
That makes me hate loving him
Passover, April 24, 2005
Rode beside me
And in front of me
And even behind me
On those Sunday horseback rides
In Chula Vista, California
The Dad I want and don’t want
Sped me to school
And to shul
And even the pool
In that beautiful Delta 88
That was supposed to be Mom’s
The Dad I want and don’t want
Played monopoly
And rummy
And even some Frisbee
In those awful Mexican shirts
Before he left for Arizona
The Dad I want and don’t want
Would watch me from the pulpit
And from behind a cigarette
And even while koshering liver in the barbecue pit
With that critical seriousness
That made me feel so wrong
The Dad I want and don’t want
Barely made my bar mitzva
And no-showed my chuppa
And even neglected to send us a brakha
In his disconnected self righteousness
That makes me hate loving him
Passover, April 24, 2005
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