<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal"><span class=""><span class=""><span class=""><span style="font-style: normal;">Fathers</span><b style="font-style: italic;"><o:p class=""></o:p></b></span></span></span></p><div><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">The sail is up and the white boat smooths the river’s skin<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">steady as it makes down the river to the bay as though<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">an engine drew it, which perhaps it does.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><div><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">Fathers are such craft. We do not know what drives them.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">All we know is the glamour of our attention.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><div><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">The white boat gives no answer, too far off for us to hear an engine go.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">But fathers, like a prayer, move by a mute murmur past<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">and far. We relish them. We do not know them. We see<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">their back bend as they rustle leaves for chestnuts <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">the rats have not consumed, and we<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">find the shavings in the white sink odd.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">We wonder at their idiocy, constancy, strength.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">We wonder where their past lives went, so far gone<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">not one stain remains to tarnish and enliven them.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><div><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">Did they play with toys? Wet their pants? Did they run and scream?<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">Fathers? Unimaginable. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">Because all we see we admire.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><div><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">We admire with big hearts, with hearts of awe. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">We are ready to approve without doubt<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">the genius and the mystery of the male that made our<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="">bread.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class=""><br></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>- Bruce Moody</p><div><span class="" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div></div></body></html>