My father was not a perfect man,
who can claim that right?
A hard working steel man
he got drunk on Friday night.
We lived in fear of him then
did not dare to cry,
never knew what would set him off
or when his fists would fly.
But he was also gentle and kind,
an artists soul had he
and he passed on his talent
to my siblings and me.
My father loved to sing
the old cowboy songs,
and was at his happiest
when his family sang along.
A natural born athlete
he taught us to tumble for fun,
and those of us who were fast
he taught us how to run.
Raised by an abusive aunt
went to work when he was ten,
he didn’t have a childhood
that’s the way it was back then.
Yes, he had a mean streak
some say a mile wide,
but he’s no longer with us
so I’m here to take his side.
I will not write only of the worst
to gain the readers sympathy,
he was both anger and love and,
I am my father’s legacy.
-
Author:
baj-a (
Offline) - Published: March 7th, 2013 15:33
- Comment from author about the poem: yesterday marked the 5th anniversary of the death of my father. shortly after he passed away I wrote this poem and thought I would share it here.
- Category: Family
- Views: 66
Offline)
Comments6
a touching and honest tribute to your father.
Bonnie, this is a beautiful tribute to your father at lease you did share some good times with yours. The structure of your put together so well. In the second stanza you missed the a before childhood.
BWP... James...
Thank you James! Yes, I wanted to show the whole person and not just a microscopic view of my father. We all so many things and every aspect of our lives affects who we become. Even though we shape our own lives as we grow our past will always have an influence on us. And thanks for pointing out the typo! I have fixed it. For all the times I have read this poem I never noticed that error!
I should add the mural on the wall behind my father was painted by him.
Touching, beautiful and truthful tribute to your father. Nobody is perfect and in showing him as he really was you showed us that you inherited the best part of him, talent, kindness and forgiveness, soki
Very beautifully written baja. Everything went into place so well.
Baj-a this a beautifull honest tribute of your father
To be able to comment and rate this poem, you must be registered. Register here or if you are already registered, login here.