Secrets of the Past

The memories retreat, teasingly, like the girls from his youth
but the Past, a pregnant mistress, awaits her chance
to reveal the by-blows of their juvenile romance,
unacknowledged by him, who so carefully concealed the truth.
He has lived in self-deception for so long,
he barely remembers, but knows he was wrong.
Now the time has come for his swansong,
he must perform an overdue penance
and pay the Past her child maintenance.

The Secrets are Bastards, the consequences of the crime.
They've grown restless and prepared to gather,
to seek out  and to terrorize their father,
who will only accept them when he is running out of time.
Only when guilt starts to take an unbearable toll,
only when overcome with fear for his errant soul,
only then will he surrender and look at the whole,
omitting nothing, and, in finding peace,
the persecution of the Past will cease.