Momma Said, Pointing to Papa

Momma Said,

Pointing to Papa

Be a man.

Your father's

the bravest man I know.

Remember that tornado?

---no, course you don't you were

only two...

But Momma, I do.

Anyway, spread his

very own coat

to cover the both of us.

He could've died.

I know Mamma, I know.

There's a full moon

tonight, Mamma,

so maybe I could go out

to the cliff

and sit

to watch it rise?

Now, do you think

that man, your papa,

got where he is

by quitting? Do you? You think

your papa

ever let himself

be slowed down?

No Mamma,

I don't Mamma. Will the sun

ever

burn itself up?

Would it burn us up

too? Or would

everything just go

black and cold?

We got security

because of him---

You think he likes

his job?

You think he likes

taking orders

from a man who's

half the man

he is?

No Mamma,

Does a man have to hate

his job?

What does Papa like

to do?

What kinda question

is that?

Liking and not liking's got nothing to

do with it.

A man's gotta do--- for the

family.

That night by the cliff

the moon rose, golden,

round.

The valley glowed.

She's an ember

in the sky

setting fire to the

whole earth,

I thought,

then thought again

of the sun

burning far away

on the other side,

the whole world between

them.

I wondered

if I could ever be a man.