By Button Poetry
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One of the submissions from the 2019 Button Poetry video contest.
Transcript provided by YouTube:
00:30
– I think of you often.
00:33
Imagine the first time I clasped your hands inside mines,
00:38
and pierced into your eyes,
00:40
searching for a glimpse of God.
00:43
When I find him,
00:45
with a chest full of faith,
00:47
I will proudly say in exchange for this blessing,
00:51
“I promise to raise a man.
00:54
Promise to harvest the field with bare and brass hands.”
00:57
See, I’ve gone to prepare a place.
01:02
I wanna know what it’s like to raise a king
01:06
so I will raise a kingdom before you come.
01:10
Teach you things like how to stand for yourself,
01:13
and kneel for God,
01:16
and teach you how to love
01:17
the same way your mother taught me.
01:20
Rock, steady,
01:23
and when you ask me questions like,
01:26
“Daddy, daddy, daddy.”
01:29
I promise to answer each one.
01:32
Those little boys without answers
01:35
are forced to find their own
01:37
between intersections of sagging pants
01:40
and drug addiction.
01:43
And I promise you’ll never have to suffer
01:45
the affliction of a belt.
01:48
‘Cause daddy’s still gots lashes
01:51
that seen Negro spirituals at night,
01:53
and pain, pain don’t learn to harmonize.
01:57
It just hurts.
01:59
See, a man doesn’t confuse fear with respect.
02:04
Instead, I’ll expect for you to make mistakes,
02:06
and when you do,
02:07
I will gravitate to my son,
02:10
let you know I will still give you the world.
02:14
See I’m not to be confused with father figure,
02:17
because he will figure father is here to stay.
02:20
Let you know daily that the only thing
02:23
you are incapable of is getting rid of me.
02:26
And if anyone ever doubts,
02:28
ever questions your legitimacy,
02:31
I will re-open this scroll
02:33
and show you,
02:35
show you that I planned for you,
02:37
before I planned for you.
02:39
Point out the hieroglyphics of me
02:43
pushing you on swing sets over sunsets
02:46
as our favorite summer song jogs to a close
02:49
and lets you know that you have always been
02:52
a pre-meditated miracle.
02:55
Which is why I will never give you my name, see.
03:01
Daddy’s made some mistakes,
03:03
and everyone deserves a fresh start.
03:08
I promise,
03:10
I promise to love you as if it was
03:12
the only thing I’ve done correctly.
03:16
And if I’m doing it wrong, I pray God corrects me
03:20
because the only thing I am truly trying to do
03:25
is promise you everything I never had.
03:31
(peaceful music)
—
This post was previously published on YouTube.
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Photo credit: Screenshot from video