Birthright

"Birthright AKA My Father Explains How We Got Here"

I’m not sure how many more times
you want to hear your own myth

The Blue Moon spit you out
which I thought was your first mistake
Son you only get a few resurrections
and you used one already
in a night full of red wings
and light dangling in steam
but hey sometimes we don’t have a choice
in what blood we rode in on

Anyway the cardinal came to the window
and I knew
somewhere something I cared about
was spilling

So I take off running after your mother
a scarlet prayer unraveling behind me
“God, I hope he looks like his mama”

I got in just before the blades
sharp things brought you into this world
sharp things might be what keep you here

they cleaved your mother’s stomach
like a fresh snowfall
you came from scars boy
if nothing else you get that from me

 - by Julian Randall, from Vinyl Poetry (July 2016)