Progeny

O damned child,
I have given you the worst of me,
of all before me.
Conceived in sin, cursed from birth,

Now you stand beside my bed afraid:
A shadow in the darkness,
Awakened by a nightmare you can’t remember;
Haunted by a dread
Your yet unformed conscience can’t fathom.

“Daddy, I’m scared,”
Your small voice startles me awake.

Climb into the warmth of my bed.
Be safe in your father’s love,
Let your pure soul rest,
And dream of the innocence you never knew.