POEM: If a Father's Wish Had Any Clout

if his love had any power
you would be whisked away over
wide oceans steepled mountains

these words,
these things,
these poems
these useless limbs, i know this now.
these are incense a cry sent up as curling smoke

but if you were the yellow moon
or in your room feeding me on your smile
or your spirit spread like jam into every corner
these thousand blooms

i would know how to be a father once again
my strength would flood my arms again
and i could maybe breathe again.