To All Of You Mothers Doing It Alone: Happy Father’s Day

 

You are a mother and a father

Going farther than the rest

You rest on

but the fact

That for your kids, you’ll give your best

Recognition, not your mission

When you pick them up from school

Help with homework, feed their bellies

Lift them up, as you’re their stool

You’re ever teaching, get them reaching

For their independent self

While being mindful of the need

To keep them close enough to help

This is you with all your strength

And this is you with patient eyes

This is the you that’s fighting feelings

That good fortune’s in disguise

They practice hard but miss the cut

And feel rejected by their team

Since they were five, they’ve slept with helmets

Catching footballs in their dreams

And so you cancel out on girl’s night

Take him out to see a flick

For when his tough boy image fades

It’s your resolve that’s tough as bricks

You wear the armor, carry swords

When someone’s bullies them at school

And when they’re going off “to study”

You’re not one to suffer fools

So wear your pride once in awhile

Don’t just chalk it up to roles

Especially since the other “parent”

Doesn’t relish in their roll

It’s you this Father’s Day that I salute

So give yourself a break

You give it all each hour of every day

So please this praise, you take