"welcome to adulthood",
i said to my son as he explained
in detail of depressing depth, his difficulties
in making sense of the day and the days to come
i meant it kindly
i meant it to mean that his struggles
were worthy, manly
i meant it to show that he was ready
to find, to forge, to enter the fray
today i am wondering,
what kind of welcome was that?
welcome to the soul crushing reality
that barely doesn't kill you?
welcome to the world where most of what we kept from you
turns out to be a bad idea for grown ups too?
what the hell was i thinking?
my fearful powerful daughter,
my hidden brilliant son,
here is a better welcome.
welcome to a world where people who should know better
sometimes say the exact wrong thing.
welcome to a dreamers paradise,
where the calculus of weary wisdom
is constantly confounded by
unpredictable boundless possibility,
wonder and wild chaotic catastrophic beauty.
it is well worth the cost of courage,
and the expenditure of essence,
a steel-eyed stare down with unblinking unhope,
for the many long days
when goodness and glory
light the skies
and render you breathless.
this i know
because this is what you have taught me.