Response to Warsan Shire’s “Snow”

BE GRATEFUL

While some fathers are trying to survive
some fathers are killing others for not unlocking their phones
some fathers are extorting the future of the kids of others
while some fathers are at the front line facing death
some fathers are feeding bandits information of others’ fathers
while some fathers’ wives are the shrine that blesses them
some fathers are the thorns that never became roses
while your father travelled and came back to his home
some fathers went down the street and came back lifeless
for you still have the man to call your father, be grateful
some fathers only exist in their children’s heart, they’re dead
and some fathers are wished to have never existed, useless

Tomide Abdul