Let Strong Traditions Live The Way It Should Be.... Poem by RIC BASTASA

infidelities in
this place
of chaos is absolutely
normal

that is what father
used to tell me when i reached
the age of puberty

i wonder if he talked about
himself and his implied infidelity
to mother

but i was then too busy then
with my new found loves
i did not mind what he said at
all

but here i am too
found in the same situation as his
keeping some secrets
with someone else

putting money to the mouths
to keep them sealed forever

when we meet we do not know
each other
we tell stories of diversions
we know how to pretend perfectly
when needed by the
call of propriety

father had long died and
i can remember how square his face was
he was unfair to mama
but he loved her so well with all his
lies
and she loved him too
with all her pretenses
that she did not know what he did
and that she only cared
what her children wanted

to keep the family intact
to keep the name going
and let strong traditions live
the way it should be.