"The Superman Syndrome" by Marcellus Williams
never wrote a poem about my father, although near, he wasn't around so why bother, pappa was a true rolling stone, maybe the vietnam war cut too deeply and distorted his view of his own, so forgiving is my heart i have forgotten much, -but clearly remember a beating as our first embrace our first touch, some may diagnose it: dissociative experience due to me not viewing this bonding as traumatic, even the use of "bonding" to many will be enigmatic, now behold- here is my father the first superhero type, never knew at the time he would just be a stereotype, still my heart keeps to forgiveness because i can see pass the world's flesh, no tears were shed growing up due to being born with no regrets, first born... i am here adding to his malfunction, i can only remember a yellow dump truck, a bomb pop, and a croquet set without instructions, but when i say: "he's a master carpenter" i feel a sense of his worth, then i realize i was never taught such- abandonment attempts to surface along with shame and hurt, these are just illusions, deceptions and whispers, believe me devils are real i can hear the hissing- but i ignore them no doubt when they spew their fiction, ...alcohol addiction, a player in his game, how can one be cured from a disease that eases pain? writing a poem about my father brought up feelings i never knew i had, growing up i never thought of him, -so i felt nothing... and even now it's hard to consider it sad, now come on and tell me that you understand- how kryptonite can be one's children so he forego that part of being a man, the truth is that i know that many can relate, not so the rectification of my soul so i refuse bitterness and i reject hate, therefore he still deserves respect and kindness as he is the parent, a divinely prescribed order shunned by many but for my heart so necessary and apparent