Andrew Badger’s most recent poem to appear here was My Days (May 2014). This poem won first place in the 2011 Picayune Writers Group poetry contest.

Shaving Dad
By Andrew Badger

Today I shaved my father as I stood
at the sink. Each stroke revealed a bit
more face and half-forgotten grimaces
of the long deceased, my bane and boon.

The eyes looking back watching my hand
slowly slide the razor deftly over Dad
revealed a puzzled look for they belonged
to Mom, the saint who married him.

For all these years I’ve thought I’d watched
myself on steamy glass–but the hair
was Uncle Ben’s, the bulbous nose my Gramps.
The slightly recessed chin defined us all.

Tomorrow when I lather up and wipe
a circle in that steamy mirror to see
a face, I’ll lift my razor in salute
to shave the family that made me.