He could have been

A great father

He was so

…in the beginning

Doting and proud,

first of the family to birth life

Her smiling face

so cheery

But anyone

would buckle

And crumble

and retreat from the

….unrelenting criticism

Of a parent

He brought us

Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle

the iching… spiritual seeker

Paving the way

as eldest pointing a tethered soul

toward self discovery

It made him fool

gossip at her hands

dismissive rejection at his heart

He could have been a positive role model

in her life of turmoil

He tried

sincerely in the beginning

at that little apartment in queens

Stay at home dad

twinkling at her precious laugh

But most people

all people

would collapse

The viscous movement turning siblings towards and against him

At whim

To her

and his dissatisfaction

twisted pleasure

A child left to abuse

the younger children

Left neglected by any

adult

Must

and will

Be plagued

by darkness

Unrelenting

….and he could have been a good father

but he never had the chance