Avoiding The Fray <br />By Reid Baer <br /><br />I fear my father even as <br />old and frail as he is now; I <br />know it’s the memory of the man <br />who was once larger and meaner <br /><br />Than me – I’m so naïve – I saw <br />how he tormented my older <br />brother back then and my own best <br />advice was to stay the hell out <br /><br />Of Papa’s thunderously bad way … <br />I hoped my little pleasing smile <br />would soften his sharp anger to <br />protect myself by happy play <br /><br />Perchance to keep the boogey man <br />away and my terrors at bay - <br />my core wound and sizeable <br />lover shadow I carry today. <br />-
