Blessing My Son

Now that you are named 
and heretofore known 
and promised missions and maidens 
and temples and talents 

and white shirts and quorum duties 
and a car full of car seats— 
I whisper to you now 
what I really hope for: 
safe 
healthy 
kind 

And if you discover sex before you’re supposed to
may it be good sex and safe sex 
(for her sake at least) 
And if you discover beer and weed and
the f-word 
may you use them safely, too, 
and kindly 

And if Joseph’s lightning strikes in you no dry kindling
let it strike instead a damp, indifferent sponge, 
no big deal, merely academic, 
never a burr or a thorn— 

And if you really fly off the deep end 
I will remember that 
I am bound to my neighbors by beautiful covenants
and appointments on the damn Cub Scout calendar
            but our bond is blood 
            and name 
and ten million minutes together 
chasing you chasing me 
just to be with you 
I don’t care where 
just to be with you 
I will follow you if you don’t 
follow me