POETRY FOR INCLUSION
Daddy, wait for me. Wait for me, Daddy!
To grow in my garden of peace and faith,
for your prayers will guide my every step,
and your passion will protect my young heart.
I want to hold your affirming, soft hands
that give thanks to God for mercy and grace,
that search green pastures of wisdom and rest.
Wait for me, Father. Father, wait for me!
To shine my light of promise and joy,
for your ageless smile will comfort my heart,
and your strength will be my shield and my sword.
I want to stand by you, my protector,
that follows the winds swaying toward hope,
that hears the birdsong of justice and love.
Papa, wait for me. Wait for me, Papa!
To weep during the storms of grief and loss,
for your sacred arms will embrace my tears,
and your eyes will see my garden of growth,
that will give thanks for the time we have spent,
that will honor the life we have planted.
Dr Clark is an outpatient psychiatrist at Prisma Health-Upstate and clinical associate professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville. He served on the American Psychiatric Association’s Task Force to Address Structural Racism Throughout Psychiatry, and he currently serves as the Diversity and Inclusion section editor and advisory board member for Psychiatric TimesTM His latest book, Dreaming Together, is available online, and his podcast Psyched Perspectives can be found exclusively on PsychiatricTimes.com.
