‘My father’ – a creative piece inspired by Terrance Hayes

Freud states a daughter’s first love is for her father.

Yet I remain unknown to my father,

And he remains unknown to me.

He hides behind his new wife

And the promise of Easter holidays. Am I

Conditioned to love a mystery? Oedipus has no answer. 

I read the bible. It is the story of a child 

Whose father is a ghost. Yet the child loves him still

For He is in love with a mystery.

I love my father. I wish he would let me know him. 

I wish I were not Jesus. 

-Tess Barbey

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