Feathers
(For my unborn son)

My child
when you are born you will be golden
you will be light
you will be blessed with an omen

you will be

you will be glass
shimmering steel
an eagle awaiting its feathers
an idea made real

you will be healthy
you will be joy
you will be blessed
in love, you will be wealthy

you will be loved

you will be lost
you will be finding
you will be young
and you will be reminded

you will be my heart
my breath
my new start
you will be my planet
my pearl
my craft

But the truth is
you will not be mine
I will be your father, your rock
but your mother and I
are merely guides

I will provide an arrow
a blueprint
a shape
a sign

and your mother—the river
the map
the chrysalis
the bliss

she
is love
the eternal kiss

But I can't be true to me
and truthfully
try to tell you to be
a new me

It's your life; you make it
wherever you'd like to; take it

Though I'll give you your clothes
and show you your soul
you'll face your demons naked

though I'll teach you control
and keep you from cold
if you see your chance; you take it

Though of course I have fought for you
walked to all four corners
and talked the truth
I know
my path isn't right for you
I'll just try to give you the right tools to use

because this earth isn't perfect
we're all cursed with a search for purpose
we all emerge in emergencies
and hope our perfect dreams prevail perfectly

but we

can't see the sky for clouds sometimes
and can't see our lies for doubts
and I
can't see with the eyes of owls
so I can't seem to decipher this life right now

Will I be ready to raise you?
mould you?
shape you?

Will I ever be wrong to change you
or strong enough to be brave for you?

Though I'm spreading my wings
I don't know if I'm making better enemies
or the betterment of anything
and when I'm in Heaven
I'll leave you a message of eleven melodies that you better sing
you see, your life is my everything
and my words are your medicine

so you better remember when I tell you
that I'll be shedding every feather from my wings
so you can fly further than I've ever been
you are my king