To My Father On His 60th Birthday

My father taught me
that, in the forest,
my intuition will serve me
better than any compass.
That I shouldn’t look down
when dropping a racquetball,
unless I want a bloody nose.

He taught me that
being a coward can
save a life,
even if only your own.
That you can never put
too many tomatoes in a goulash.
That even men can cry
at the end of a sad movie.

Mud is
the highest fashion,
as is flannel.
Hugs are never
too frequent
or last too long.

Above all,
Jesus told us to love.

Tonya Morton