Poethood/Fatherhood

In today’s episode, I read an essay and poem by David Allan Cates. David discusses his responsibility as a father to always emanate hope to his three daughters, even when his writing process sometimes feels like it is coming up short on finding such a thing.

Jim’s essay and tender poem address the night before his oldest son Ramsey moved out of the house, and how a heat wave allowed Jim and his wife one more night to be the parents they remember being when their son was young.

In today’s episode, I’ll read an essay and poem by Geffrey Davis. His essay, “Brief History of an Ugly Jump Shot” details a time he played basketball with his young son and how a particularly ugly shot he takes transports him back to childhood and how all it took was a single comment on how bad a shot was to deflate any glory or pride you felt. His poem, “Survivor” is about the ways of surviving childhood sexual abuse can compromise a certain faith in the innocence of your own hands.