To a distant Spiritual Father

I have grown in the soil of your love
In the rich humus of a life laid down
My roots go deep and will not be moved
I curve and swell in the wind
Our wind
But my movements are mine
Please don't take them from me
And do not try to dictate the number of my boughs
Or how my leaves should grow-
They know,from the roots
Let me interpret what you taught me;
That freedom is better given graciously
Than taken angrily.

If I'm to outlive you 
Both in span and depth of life
I will need what you gave to me every step of the way
But I have to walk that way myself
And long after you are gone
I will be faithful to it
Genius is uniquely specific
And easily broken
You had the chance to express your's unhindered
Now let me explore the freedom of mine.
I will always be your son
Even though I may travel far
On roads you would find strange at first glance
And maybe never understand
But we are sons of the same vision.
                                                         Wilf  09/2006