Christian Johnson’s haiku compares his father to an old beat-up car that always pulls through.
Editor’s Note: Fathers aren’t immune to aging, but this poem shows that fatherhood certainly is. The line break at “is” leaves the reader guessing what and then the metaphor unravels. It’s not just an engine. It’s not just a road. It’s a “rusty” engine. It’s “every rough” road. This poem had me imagining a father whose age hasn’t impacted his willingness to be tough when being tough is what’s needed.
Dad’s heart: Runs like a
rusty engine, but still drives
down every rough road
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–Photo: Jamie Anderson/Flickr