Just Like My Father

_{Photo by Tracy Fuentes}

By Madison Kleinrock-Andrews

My father didn’t stick around
long enough for me
to get to know him well,
and I actively tried to pick a man
that was nothing like him.

Yet, when I asked my mom
what she thought after meeting you,
the first words out of her mouth
were, somehow,
“He’s just like your father.”

At the time,
neither of us realized
just how right she was.

She said only his positive traits
were what she saw in you:
his charm,
his confidence,
his mannerisms.

She didn’t mean it as a warning,
but I should have taken it as one.
I told myself that was no reason
to place the blame on you
for things you didn’t do,
but you ended up
doing those things too.

It turned out that his negative traits
were also part of you:
your charm
was a facade that I fell for,
your confidence
led to promises that you wouldn’t keep,
your mannerisms
included holding the bottle tighter than me.

One day
you’ll regret letting me go,
and then you’ll find
that our relationship
is dead and buried
with no hope of revival.
When that day comes, remember
you were the one
that
dug
the
grave
just like my father.