Can a man become more whole
than his father was?
Before he dies, can he learn to hate
fewer things
than he was taught to as a child?
The blind seeds of this worldview are smooth
from passing between all the rough hands
down my lineage
to me, as if they were the last jewels
of a disgraced royal line.
I’m tired of bearing this inheritance.
Is there still time to lay them in the ground?
In my life, could I see them grow
fresh apotheosis,
something that turns to look into the light?
Joe Roberts is a Salt Lake City poet whose work has appeared in Just Milieu Zine, Tiny Seed Press, and petrichor magazine. His debut chapbook, Anathema, was published in 2024. With his free time, Joe writes reviews for SLUG Magazine and hikes the Wasatch Front with his partner, Brooke.
