Fathers are made, not born

Not happenstance
They are:
Consciously developed
Worked in through intention
Driven to be;
A figure that stands strong in a home

Fathers are made:
With spine
& heart
With mind
& stomach, too
For the moments of fatherhood do not come easy
Not to those who have forlorn those precious parts

Fatherhood does not require masculinity
It doesn’t beg for
All the things
That men are told to be
& throw tantrums
When it doesn’t get them
Fathers are not afraid to bleed

For to be a father;
this does not require a man
Only intention
And dedication
Something unfortunately forgot
By too many that claim the title

For Father is not meant to be
Only but a name
It is an action
Meticulous method
An art
You throw your all into being
When you are a Father
Otherwise;
you’re really just parts

Fathers are not broken
Not by misconceptions
On what their child should be
They remain a steadfast caregiver
Unwavering
Supportive
Present
A Father does not yield

No.

Not when it comes to their children
Or their safety
Not when it comes to their emotional well-being
Their livelihood
Their education
Their lives.

Fathers do not f*ck with their children
As if it were some game
They do not abandon
Nor attempt to control
They do not hit
Do not lie
Do not put them in danger
To satisfy their own temptation
Or to further their own greed

Fathers are made, not born
Not happenstance
It requires intention
Dedication
Something you never had

You can lie to yourself and call yourself “Father”
But you’ve never been any father to me.

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Jesse James

Editor: Renée Picard 

Image: Raphaël Labbé at Flickr