Inutil

This isn’t happening
Inútil! Useless
Just like my father was before me:
Inútil! Useless
And every day
He cut the cane
He came home late and prayed for rain
Prayed for rain
And on the days
When nothing came
My father’s face was lined with shame
He’d sit me down beside him and he’d say,
“My father was a farmer,
His father was a farmer,
And you will be a farmer.”
But I told him, “Papi, I’m sorry, I’m going farther.
I’m getting on a plane.
And I am gonna change the world someday!”
And he slapped my face
He stood there, staring at me, useless
Today my daughter’s home and I am… useless
And as a baby she amazed me with
The things she learned each day
She used to stay on the fire escape
While all the other kids would play
And I would stand beside her and I’d say:
“I’m proud to be your father
‘Cuz you work so much harder
And you are so much smarter
Than I was at your age.”
And I always knew that she would fly away
That she was gonna change the world someday
I will not be the reason
That my family can’t succeed
I will do what it takes
They’ll have everything they need
Or all my work, all my life
Everything I’ve sacrificed will have been useless