A Father Poem Poem by ronald stroman

i am tomorrow's hope
in the eyes of my father.

my father:
the reason why
my life
is well fed
from being “cooked” with purpose.

i am my father's ear
to his marinated & seasoned
Korean war stories
accumulating additional medals
every time i listen.

he has grown old
so now
i fetch his meds and cane.

i'm his other pair of legs & hands
when he wants me to get him a glass of water.

i am my father's choir

when he's preachin'
about bad women & hard drinkin'.

i am my father's broken rules in my youth:
that he's forgiven me for.

i am my father's son:

we are too much alike
not to know
the truth about each other
even if…
his war stories
are 50 years old
and still growing medals of honor

for an old soldier: who was an Army Cook.