the sum of one

how could you ever think that zero was better than one
I mean in terms of a young man; one father to me was better than none any day
the holy father will always be; his essence isn't obligated to be counted as any number except totality
but while you were young and I was too, you obligated yourself to another family and never looked back
brother heroin, sister coke and father time
having revivals every night
while I grew and matured you wallowed and stood
stagnate, white dwarf hanging in the evening sky
your light slowly fading as the years pass you by
and here I exist;your oldest son
-magnificent; transcendent of my genetic demise
wings flapping; like an ancient warrior riding on the back of a dragon
rising from the flames of scorched souls and bad habits
I am in rewind, thinking of all the good times and memories inside
but I am stuck on zero
lonely tree standing in the woods, cleansing fire came through
young; loose cannon with no direction; just hate fueled by rejection, loneliness and loss of aspiration

my soul forced to love alone, I was scared but now I'm grown

so now, as I stand above you, I can see that death can bring life

your spirit has taken on the shape of another and the winds pick up outside

- litter blows by the sidewalk stoop, a car horn blows nearby, 

- an old man is asking for change and the morning whistle of the first train blows out of south station - 

you are free to fly amongst the birds in the sky

free to gaze at the world passing you by

all that anger and conflicted emotion has been thrown to the side

and I can finally smile
the sum of one will always be one
when there's nothing added to it