Sins Of

My father grew up like my grandfather

and his father before him

hard life and labor

they believed in laws and order

and that, things had to be done the hard way

a little beating built character

a man must work and have responsibilities

a man must be stern with his children and own lawn.

they were all bitter drunkards and

I believed I would never understand why

I vowed to never be like them

to swim in the waters of Acapulco

to run with the bulls

to learn to play the mandolin

I pledged to love my wife and never kick my dog.

I grew up

and understood

that time wrinkles you into a paper ball

a hard life of labor

and my character took a beating

I now have a lawn I must keep tidy

and I have never played the mandolin.