Two Sides of the Coin

Summary

The poem "Two Sides of the Coin" explores the dichotomy of a man who is a loving and supportive father, yet acts inappropriately and discriminatorily in his professional capacity.

Abstract

The poem delves into the complex nature of an individual who is remembered as a nurturing and supportive father, juxtaposing this with his unethical behavior in the workplace where he abuses his power over minoritized individuals. It emphasizes that while his paternal love is genuine, it does not excuse his professional misconduct. The accompanying text by Lucy Dan discusses the tendency of people to vouch for someone's character when they are held accountable, often blurring the lines between personal relationships and professional responsibilities. The poem serves as a reflection on the prompt "the many roles of life," and is part of a larger conversation on Medium about basic human emotions and societal roles.

Opinions

The author acknowledges that the love and support provided by the individual in a fatherly role is distinct and should not be overshadowed by his actions in a professional setting.
It is highlighted that the account of someone's positive attributes should not negate the need for accountability regarding their negative actions in a different context.
The poem suggests that people often struggle to reconcile the different roles individuals play in their lives, leading to complex situations where personal experiences can conflict with objective assessments of character.
Lucy Dan's commentary implies that there is a societal issue with how character references are used, potentially allowing individuals to escape consequences for their actions by leveraging their positive relationships.
The inclusion of the "Excitement" and "Never Taught To Be Human" links suggests a broader discussion on human emotions and societal expectations, indicating that the poem is part of a series or collection exploring these themes.

a poem

He could have been the best of dads to you, always nurturing, always supporting all that you needed

and in his professional role, in his career, have been an inappropriate fit, wielding power over minoritized individuals, discriminating those those he should have been mentoring professionally.

What he did at work does not take away from the fatherly love you experienced —

but be really clear: what he was to you does not absolve his sins against others who needed his protection.

Hi I’m Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) and I had a deep, late-night talk with a friend recently about this. I think sometimes when someone is held accountable for their actions, others come out to vouch for ‘character’. But being someone’s loving and supportive father honestly is as distinct as it gets from who this person might be in the workplace. While it’s such great news that someone could have been a loving, supportive father for this person, that account shouldn’t negate someone else’s advocacy for accountability for this man’s actions in a completely different context. It seems so fine, dandy and clear in this poem and as I write this author bio, but when applied to real, messy life situations, you’d be surprised how often those lines get blurred!

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Two Sides of the Coin

a poem

Excitement

Poetry Prompt as part of the Basic Emotions Series

Never Taught To Be Human

We’re failing as parents, as teachers, and as a society