He is home -- Peter Kirkpatrick

He is home,
the young man in the navy singlet
and blue jeans is home,
because I hear him pick up his tiny son
who is squealing and say
Now this is it Now this is it.
And he spins him and growls
and his son squeals.

The child in the sky-blue jumpsuit
laughs at his father’s strength:
they’re both laughing
as the young man’s tattoos bulge,
cuddling the ecstatic little one
in the blue of bruises.

Turning I hear the young man threaten
to drop his son,
who will never believe him,
who will never believe him.

Source: Porter, D & Millett, J (eds) 1989, ‘On Struggle Street – An Anthology of New Poets’, Poetry Australia 122, South Head Press, Port Melbourne.