What my father and I have in common

We're a lot alike,

My father and I.

It's his first time on this earth.

It's mine too.

Every morning, we splash our face with water and stretch.

One big shadow and one small.

We both aren't good on the phone.

We need the face, the pattern of eyes, and trembling mouth.

We save our favorite dishes for the last.

And that's what we do with happiness as well.

We don't know how to rest without falling apart.

We would rather swallow ourselves whole than give up our aches and pains.

I think we both might be suffering from loneliness.

The kind that never goes away.

We both can’t say “I love you”.

So, we sit in silence together hoping the other understands.

We're both looking for words.

The kind that will align my father and I.