Dad & Girl

A sign beside the last two stanzas that reads, ‘Warning: Do not feed the bears’ with a bear pictogram.

My father and I are great roommates,

stay up late

watching Seinfeld, SNL, and Letterman.

All our cereal bowls are dirty.

We just rinse as we go.

No need to stress.

One day strange sounds

come from the living room.

I round the corner to find Dad

sitting on the couch

with a squirming kitten for me

ribbon tied clumsily

round itty neck.

My shrieks of glee

send bitty legs pumping.

AA Dad introduces

his merry band of recovery friends

with slogans and optimism and rueful honesty,

the funniest drinking stories . . .

. . . and the most devastating. Lives and loves and

families lost to addiction

powerful regret punching

through the slim veneer

of happiness.

Relapse

waiting around every corner

like a wild bear.