Another Man (Posted By Request)

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Michael

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-08-13

Posts 7666
California

0 posted 1999-09-26 02:39 PM

Please excuse the lack of form on his piece.
It was written in 1995 in the midst of a divorse and custody issues over my son Mikey.
I have never had the heart to edit it.

ANOTHER MAN

When it comes time to take him home,
He'll say, "Daddy, I wanna live with you!"
And it'll tear me up inside,
Cause I want him to live with me too.

And he'll ask, "When you gonna get a house, Dad?"
Just like he did the time before.
Well, son, I built my house a long time ago,
I'm just not welcome there anymore.

Cause there's another man's hat on the bedpost.
Another man's picture on the T.V.
Another man's boots settin' off in the corner,
Where mine used to be.
There's another man fixin' ya supper,
And seein' you off to school.
Another man wheeled in the bike I bought you for Christmas,
While I spent that night alone like a fool.
You see, son, your Daddy's made a lot of mistakes,
But with time it's become plain to see.
Your mom's a lot happier with another man
Than she ever could've been with me.

But I can take you to the park on the weekends.
Take you to the sweet shop and buy you ice cream.
Someday soon I'll have my own place and then,
Things won't be as bad as they seem.

Then, son, you can come and spend the night,
Or even live with me hopefully.
Till that day, please don't let another man take away
That place in your heart meant for me.

Cause it might be easier for your mother
To love another man like she never could me.
But another man will never love you like I do.
And another man will never be your Daddy.

And another man might take you to the snow,
Or have taught you how to ride that bike,
But another man will never again keep me
From being all I can in your life...Little Mike.

------------------
Michael Anderson

Loneliness isn't in being alone;
Loneliness is alone in being.

JennyLee
Senior Member

since 1999-09-01

Posts 1461
Northwestern, NJ.

1 posted 1999-09-26 02:47 PM

I love it the way it is..refinement would change the entire piece. It is sad and yet so fullof love. Beautiful..Simply So...
Jenny

Tara Simms
Senior Member

since 1999-08-12

Posts 1244
Honea Path, SC USA

2 posted 1999-09-26 03:10 PM

Michael, it's beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. Sounds like a country song to me (I love country).

------------------
It matters not how strait the gate;
How charged with punishments the scroll;
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
--W.E. Henley
Visit my poetry website: www.geocities.com/Paris/Musee/9954/

Lost Dreamer
Member Elite

since 1999-06-20

Posts 2464
Somewhere near the Rainbow

3 posted 1999-09-26 03:30 PM

Michael, I think this is one of your best, so much emotion from deep down within, and written with splendor.

moonmoon
Member

since 1999-08-13

Posts 277
TX , USA

4 posted 1999-09-26 03:31 PM

Michael, my eyes are still blurred...The searing pain was so vivid..! Heart wrenching indeed..

Thanks for sharing it with us...

------------------
"No one was ever ruined from without;
The final ruin comes from within.".....Amelia E. Barr

suthern

Member Seraphic

since 1999-07-29

Posts 20723
Louisiana

5 posted 1999-09-26 04:34 PM

Michael: Anytime someone's poem can spirit me to the time when it was written and smother me with the pain they were feeling, I consider it a poem well done and in need of no changes!!! This one did just that.

Christopher

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-08-02

Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration

6 posted 1999-09-26 04:40 PM

I agree completely with suthern Michael... I felt the cold chill of being in another man's shoes. Even were you not to have told us, I think I would have felt that this was a real event. The emotions and form, (not too bad there boy!)

sparked so many feelings that I would have felt that it had to be real.
My only regret is that you had to go through that pain to be able to share this with us!
Thank you Michael!

Chris

RainbowGirl
Member Elite

since 1999-07-31

Posts 3023
United Kingdom

7 posted 1999-09-26 04:59 PM

I'm thinking on what I can say...I can't say it's beautiful because feeling the rawness here it can never be that...but I didn't want to not say anything either...I guess I'm left with saying what I think and that's that no one ever takes the place of either father or mother, they can't do, but they care without the blood ties that makes each parent special and each guardian of children special as well...

You'll always be his dad though Michael and he will always be your son...no one can ever take that away...without you, he couldn't exist..

Big HUGS

------------------
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

Soleil
Member

since 1999-06-12

Posts 113

8 posted 1999-09-26 06:22 PM

Been there...t'other way around. Don't know what age he was, but Dad is Dad. Say fini.
Not to worry.

Starith
Member

since 1999-08-18

Posts 176
Leesburg, FL USA

9 posted 1999-09-26 06:35 PM

Speaking from the child's point of view if I may. I went through this...my parents split up when I was pretty young. But I can say one thing looking back on all of it now...even after my mother started to see other men...I knew that none of them could ever be "my Daddy". You see I on;y had one of them...and though he made some pretty hoorible mistakes in his life, he is always my Daddy.

There's a song out...it's kind of older (and it's country), but the point is the the chorus is "I don't call him Daddy, but he takes care of things. When you pick me up on Friday are ya gonna bring me anythig? Oh don't worry Daddy it don't matter what we do, cause I don't call him Daddy, he could never be like you."

I'm sure your son feels the same way Michael. With the beautiful words you write you must be a wonderful Dad!

Star

------------------
We are only truly apperciated after we are no more!

Artur Hawkwing
Member

since 1999-06-30

Posts 444
USA

10 posted 1999-09-26 06:46 PM

I can understand how my own father felt when he had to move out after divorcing my mother, and this piece describes things more clearly. I read this with a heavy heart. When both parents love the kid equally there is little hope both parents will have what they want.

Isis
Member Ascendant

since 1999-09-06

Posts 6296
Sunny Queensland

11 posted 1999-09-26 06:56 PM

So beautiful and true and sad Michael.
No-one will ever replace your position as Daddy in your son's heart. No -one.
(HUGS)) my friend..

------------------
A hero is a man who does what he can.
~Isis~
(The Fragile Rose)

Denise

Moderator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-08-22

Posts 22648

12 posted 1999-09-26 08:24 PM

Very heartwrenching, Michael. I can't even imagine being in that situation. Very effective piece.

------------------
Denise

hoot_owl_rn
Member Patricius

since 1999-07-05

Posts 10750
Glen Hope, PA USA

13 posted 1999-09-26 08:41 PM

Michael....I am sitting here in tears...DO NOT CAHNGE A THING......this piece is absloutely perfect, it flows nicely and the raw emotions it portrays would only be dulled by editing. Thanks so much for sharing your heartache and sharing this piece.
Ruth

------------------
Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints in our heart and we are never ever the same.

Thank you all for leaving footprints!!

Deb Lynne
Member

since 1999-08-19

Posts 180
Where blue skies meet blue ocean

14 posted 1999-09-26 10:05 PM

Perfect just as it is.

Michael

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-08-13

Posts 7666
California

15 posted 1999-09-27 02:53 AM

I would like to thank each and everyone of you for the warm and welcome replies to this poem. As was stated, this was written in 1995, being that old - I wouldn't try to change it in any way now. I am glad you liked it as it was.

My son now spends 4 to 5 days a week with me now including every weekend. Our relationship is golden. He is truly my best friend.

Oh, btw Starith, Mikey know the words to that Doug Supernaw song you speak of by heart. That song became a very strong tie between us that helped us through the worst of times when I could not be with him. Thank you.

Michael

JTF
Member

since 1999-08-09

Posts 319
France

16 posted 1999-09-27 05:03 AM

It's so powerful ! ... I had a lump in my throat reading it Michael ... and it's good to know that 4 years later you spend a lot of time together and you're best friends ...

Kelly
Member

since 1999-07-03

Posts 145

17 posted 1999-09-27 06:11 AM

It sounds like your son is blessed to have you for a father.

passing shadows
Member Empyrean

since 1999-08-26

Posts 45577
displaced

18 posted 2004-04-18 02:35 PM

heart breaking

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