Bad Reasons to Have Children

Grow up too fast,
bypass a dream,
desire to see the dream fulfilled.
A rosy notion,
a grand idea,
of what the future will be like.

Desire for love,
and legacy,
desire to love with all your might.
A pretty doll,
A source of pride,
an extra smile on the Christmas cards.

A helping hand,
a caring presence,
guaranteed for you in the twilight years.
A chance to fix
the past’s mistakes,
to do it better than your parents did.

Or else a gift
for a job well done,
a thank-you for your parents’ love.
Or just because
it’s what you do
when ticking off fulfillment’s boxes.

The pride, the joy,
the love, the hope,
the passing on of family names:
The selfish burden
placed on children
by those who never ponder “should.”