The apprentice/The teacher

Don't cry he said
Because crying is a weakness
Don't laugh he said
Because laughing is a sickness

Don't stare he said
Because staring makes you a pervert
Don't blink he said
Because blinking makes you unalert

Don't love he said
Because loving is forbidden
Don't hate he said
Because hating can't be forgiven

Don't fail he said
Because failing puts me to shame
Don't be stupid he said
Because stupidity gives me the blame

... out of anger I replied;

Don't be my father I said
Because you were never really there
Don't run I said
Because running away from your problems isn't something you alone have to bear

Don't give me a kiss goodbye I said
Because giving me a kiss goodbye keeps me wondering at night with what kind of intent
Don't force me I said
Because forcing me with rules upon rules, you can't even imagine all the nights I haven't slept

Don't look me in the eye I said
Because looking me in the eyes shows me all the amounts of lies you tried to hide
Don't stand in front of me I said
Because standing in front of me makes me disgusted just by your sight

Don't hit me I said
Because hitting me makes you a coward
Don't come back I said
Because coming back is not an option for you as this family already moved onward

... so he left

After a while leading up to my adulthood he became an absence,
but with age passing by and having kids on my own everything finally made sense.

Now... I miss his rules everytime when I take one step outside.