Strong Heart

by Greg Pape

My seven-year-old son draws a series
of strong hearts. He puts a face on the heart,
eyes that look straight out at the world,

a single line for eyebrows and nose,
a confident smiling or smirking mouth
unafraid to speak, poised and ready there

in the center of the face of the heart.
Where ears should be, arms curl out
flexing biceps round as baseballs.

The long legs are ready to run or dance
or jump the hurdles placed before the heart.
These drawings speak clearly of the spirit

in him. Father, they say, don’t scold me.
I am proud. There is so little difference now
between the outer and inner life.

Father, they say, guard me
with your love, and I will go on
being strong when you are gone.

The above is excerpted from a ten-part poem entitled, “Album.” Professor Greg Pape teaches creative writing at UM and is the father of two sons, Coleman and Clay. The computer drawings are by Coleman Pape.


		STRONG HEART by Greg Pape My seven-year-old son draws a series of strong hearts. He puts a face on the heart, eyes that look straight out at the world, a single line for eyebrows and nose, a confident smiling or smirking mouth unafraid to speak, poised and ready there in the center of the face of the heart. Where ears should be, arms curl out flexing biceps round as baseballs. The long legs are ready to run or dance or jump the hurdles placed before the heart. These drawings speak clearly of the spirit in him. Father, they say, don’t scold me. I am proud. There is so little difference now between the outer and inner life. Father, they say, guard me with your love, and I will go on being strong when you are gone. The above is excerpted from a ten-part poem entitled, “Album.” Professor Greg Pape teaches creative writing at UM and is the father of two sons, Coleman and Clay. The computer drawings are by Coleman Pape.