What is Hateful to You

You look at me with chocolate cookie dough
in my hair
and wonder how I stand it.
The runny noses
The tantrums
It's not fair, he got to sit there last time.

How can you afford
The time
The inconvenience
The loss of self?

She looks at me
with a cookie dough smile
in the car seat that fits
so she's safe

And I know
our family is right.

They look at us with tradition
weighing them down
and wonder how we dare it
Two dads
Two kids
Their tantrum becomes
It's unholy and must be stopped.

How can they be
so insecure
so out of touch
Did they not see her smile?
It was a cookie dough smile.

Do they not love
their children?

Do they not want
to be a part of them?

Did they forget:
What is hateful to you
do not to another?

And it was a cookie dough smile.