This is an ode
To the atypical fathers
Who didn’t—couldn’t—have
The biological children they wanted.
Here’s to the adoptive fathers,
The foster fathers, the step-fathers,
The sponsor fathers.
Here’s to the fathers
Of neighbourhood children,
Of close family friends’ kids,
Of sports teams,
Boy scouts and girl guides.
Here’s to the surrogate fathers,
The ones who might otherwise
Be called ‘uncle’ or ‘brother’
But who fill that father-shaped void
In a little person’s life.
Here’s to the godfathers,
The mentors,
The teachers,
The Big Brothers,
The Pyjama Angels.
Here’s to the furfathers,
The featherfathers, the scalyfathers,
Who spend the better part of their lives
In the care of animals.
Here’s to the spiritual fathers,
Who pray and guide
And encourage young faith to grow
Until it is fully mature.
Here’s to the invisible ones,
Doing the work of fathering,
Without any acknowledgement
Or status from society.
And here’s to the One
Who fathers all of us
And sees everything you do.