he talks to him

when you go
i’ll cut off my ponytail
and place it in your casket

this is called
“giving back”

when this was how
it was always done
there was always a rule
about what you couldn’t do
while it grew long again

that is called
“managed pain”

when you go
i’ll think of something
i won’t do
and i won’t do it

that could be called
a “sin of omission”

when i go
i’ll have grown that tail back
no one will lift that hair
while i’m above ground

i know you’ll be waiting
to see if it’s there
once again

and that is called
“heritage”
that is called
“legacy”
that is called
“shackle”
that is called
“home”