Poetic Form 53: The Bop

Sins of a Son

Watching days collect like pennies in a jar,

I wonder if you remember my smile

or that day skipping rocks across the river.

I can still feel the pride of a touchdown catch,

ball sailing from your hand in the backyard.

There were not many days like that one.

Your sins ricochet through my life.

No son is perfect, neither are their fathers.

Every child discovers a path to follow,

but we forget that the backpack was filled

before we left the house. A weight already

on our shoulders. I’ve tried cleaning out the

bottom of mine, but I keep finding empty beer

cans that meant so much to you. In the corners

I do find a few torn pieces of happiness.

Your sins ricochet through my life.

Maybe it is a character flaw in my heart,

or an unwillingness to find a new pack,

but I find it hard not to scrounge the pockets,

hoping for a note or memento from you.

I only find silence that sounds like your voice

on the line so many years ago, when I took a new path.

Your sins ricochet through my life.

Poetic Form #53: The Bop

The Bop is a poetic form developed by poet Afaa Michael Weaver at a Cave Canem

summer retreat. The Bop has three stanzas. Each stanza is followed by a refrain. The

first stanza is six lines and presents a problem. The second stanza is eight lines and

expands the problem. The third stanza is six lines and either presents a solution or

documents the failed attempt at resolving the problem.