Fatherhood

by Jamie Harrison

Image: “As Close to Living as I Could Suffer” by Jamie Harrison

Fuck good writing. Sure, I like it, but personally,

I don’t need it. Give me swill, give me

dirt between my follicles, give me sand

from your eye, let me indulge

banal parts of myself

            such as ‘melf’,

                         ‘ysf’, or ‘yel’ –

I’ll let them become what they want to,

not what I tell them to,

or what they are expected to.

                        ‘melf’ became a miserable elf,

                        ‘ysf’ became yourself

                                    (no, not you),

                        and ‘yel’ became yellow,

                                    but one day

                                    turned blue

                                                (and was loved regardless).

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Jamie Harrison is a (struggling!) UC Berkeley graduate and practicing artist. He makes selfish art which concerns his hopes and fears, and he loves to distort the world through the lens of himself. He currently lives in the Bay Area and plans to kickstart his art career through commissions, self publication of an ongoing illustrated anthology, grit, perseverance, & as much luck as he can get his hands on.