In my head, I am thirty-five and happy
I am a father
My daughter is not of my flesh and blood, but she is of my heart and soul
And I love her like Van Gogh loved sunflowers
We take long walks to the park and home from school
At night I play her lullabies on the ukulele
Just like my father did for me
On Saturday, I say hello to my friends at the diner
And we laugh and laugh and sometimes cry
In the mornings I shave my face
And take my testosterone in practiced, robotic motions
I feed my cat and water my plants
Pour pancake batter into a pan while I harmonize with the record player
Outside, the lawn is green and blooming with dandelions
And at night, stars freckle the darkness above my head
I know all their patterns by heart.
In reality, I turn off the news
I get down from the roof
And I text my friends, “be there in five.”
Will Walters is a Chicago-based poet, author, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. His hobbies include baking, playing the piano, talking to his plants, obsessing over horror podcasts, and dancing with his sister to Taylor Swift. You can find his debut album “Dawn” on all major streaming services.