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Open Poetry #32
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My Father Never Listened To The Blues
| Open Poetry #32 |
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My Father Never Listened To The Blues |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows 
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My father was a quiet man and I owe him much; though like many Irish he was cold on the outside. I can not remember anytime he put his hand on me, either in anger or to show any soft emotion, except the night he died; he took my hand, held it in a grip like banded iron, kept his eyes locked inside mine, even while his body was very busy dying. Yet I know he cared; it is a rare day that passes when I do not use some skill he taught me, like how to see in the dark with just my fingertips, the understanding of duty, of loyalty, of never making promises that won't be kept, knowing not to go where I don't belong, or just the simple basic sense of knowing right from wrong, or some little trick he knew and tucked away inside my brain, like the simple one of knowing when it's going to rain. Often I am sure I fail to pause to recognize the source, but when I do, my mind skips backward over time and links the many moments when, by each lesson recalled, my father comes alive again inside my soul, ©2004 by icebox |
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| © Copyright 2004 icebox - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
icebox "Yet I know he cared; it is a rare day that passes when I do not use some skill he taught me, like how to see in the dark with just my fingertips, the understanding of duty, of loyalty, of never making promises that won't be kept, knowing not to go where I don't belong, or just the simple basic sense of knowing right from wrong, or some little trick he knew and tucked away inside my brain, like the simple one of knowing when it's going to rain." These are all things that I find special in you, and I thank your father for them too.  |
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Mysteria 
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
I think I would have liked this man very much. They say the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, so I am sure someone is thinking of all the things you have taught them as well that perhaps he passed onto you? Happy Father's Day to you! |
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iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
Icebox, your writing awakened memories of my grandfather, who sounds like your father in that he never touched me nor let me touch him until he was dying. I was at my boyfriend's house 30 miles away when I got the phone call and rushed home because he had asked for me. I knew immediately he was dying because he never asked for me. I don't need to go into more depth....you know the rest. My father, on the other hand, lives through me every day...my mom still gets upset with me when I ramble on as I am doing here (that was a gift my father, blessed soul, gave me)! I appreciate the realness of your writing. jo |
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Kaoru
since 2003-06-07
Posts 3892where the wild flowers grow |
you never cease to bargain with my emotions.. I love your writings, this one in particular, caught me.. offgaurd, perhaps. |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
I love reading about fathers...maybe because i have nothing to say of my own |
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Susan Caldwell Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348Florida |
Very nice memory. You are lucky in this respect.  "cast me gently into the morning, for the night has been unkind" |
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