A Father Must Be Careful Poem by Donal Mahoney

I told my son
now that he's a father
he has to be careful about

what he says around his child.
No swearing, of course,
but other things as well

are not appropriate to say
in front of a child growing up.
I told him something

I remember from long ago
my father said to me
when I was just a tyke.

I was looking out the window
watching squirrels in spring
romping on the lawn.

My father hated squirrels
because they ate tomatoes
in his garden every summer.

He said to me that day
squirrels are just rats
with the wrong tail.