The Mirror and the Pedestal

When I fell and scraped my knee

And left my pride with a nasty wound

He held out his confident grip  

And helped us both get off the ground.

When I lied that I was strong

And too stubborn to get my way

He would scout my chosen path

And shepherd his foolish stray.

When she lifted my heavy heart  

He laughed ‘You’ll never get it back”

“I’ve been there” and whiskey shots   

Put my manhood back on track.

But my father jumped off the pedestal

Before my memory could treat him kind.

There was no man to look up to

Or to guide me when I was blind.

 I lost my courage to fight for love.     

And I was too eager to pick a fight.  

My skin burned during the blistering days  

And trembled with the dread of night. 

Charisma on various pedestals

Opened my eyes and warmed my heart  

They made me cry and feel for others  

And then I scrambled to do my part.

One by one my famous fathers fell   

Pushed by the jealous hands of failure

So now it’s my turn to face the music    

And depend on the man in the mirror.  

Daniel Baker