by Spencer T.
Member since:
December 20, 2005

Fathers Grief

August 27, 2008 10:15 PM EDT (Updated: August 27, 2008 10:16 PM EDT)
views: 64 | rating: 10/10 (21 votes) | comments: 39
Tis true. Our fathers different lay.
Yours ran the city. Mine toiled the clay.
Your sprawling cottage faced the sun.
Our flat? Barely did water run.

Your garden? Worked by servant's hand.
Ours provided life from the land.
Both fathers voyaged through the city.
Yours, in glory, noted. Mine, hard, a pity.

Your private school? Freshly born.
Mine? Eroded, history worn.
Our fathers sought the same for us.
Yours, rode luxury. Mine, the bus.

Through the years of life we fall.
Now, "we" share this prison wall.
Though our fathers different lay.
They grieve the very same today.

Del Cano 1987  November
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Comments: 39

Heather ~of the Whippets~ M. Aug 27, 2008, 10:21pm EDT
That is wonderful, Spencer.
Lisa Frost Aug 27, 2008, 10:32pm EDT
You express the variety of emotion and image well.
Nanina Hawk Aug 27, 2008, 10:41pm EDT
Wow, this is wonderful and amazing and very touching.
Joan G. Aug 27, 2008, 10:41pm EDT
Spencer this is WONDERFUL! I am sharing this around!
Michelle R. Aug 27, 2008, 10:42pm EDT
Funney how life levels the ground. Beautiful and heartwrenching
Bethany C. Aug 27, 2008, 11:25pm EDT
Wonderful poetry, indeed! This is one of those I want to keep.
Esther IS Flesh and Blood S. Aug 27, 2008, 11:30pm EDT
Powerful and heartwrenching!
Deborah M. Aug 28, 2008, 4:21am EDT
I grew up extremely poor in a rich neighborhood. I am only now beginning to understand why I was shunned. Good work and I still adore working in clay, so innocent.
Spencer T. Aug 28, 2008, 9:41am EDT
Thanks, Heather.
Spencer T. Aug 28, 2008, 9:42am EDT
Lisa, I am a deeply emotional person as well as passioinate. I try to feel what others feel by inserting myself in their shoes. I find it allows me to be more sensitive and accepting of others emotions.
Spencer T. Aug 28, 2008, 9:43am EDT
Thank you, Nanina.
Spencer T. Aug 28, 2008, 9:44am EDT
Share on, Joan. LOL
Lori F. Aug 28, 2008, 9:45am EDT
Spencer I have come across very few people that can express themselves as well as you do.

Any plans on putting your awesome poetry in a book?
P.W. Dowdy Aug 28, 2008, 12:46pm EDT
Poignant and refreshing. The contrasts are smooth and significant. This poem bubbles over with life and its human condition.

And then that powerful end. Hats off, Spencer!
MYKE D. Aug 28, 2008, 3:28pm EDT
Your words are so powerful in this . A great poem.

Myke
Spencer T. Aug 28, 2008, 8:23pm EDT
Michelle, circumstances can create some leveling.
Spencer T. Aug 28, 2008, 8:24pm EDT
Thank you, Bethany.
Jessie B. Aug 29, 2008, 1:16am EDT
nicely said Spencer I enjoyed this a lot. even with so many differences between people emotion is still universal.
Spencer T. Aug 29, 2008, 8:16am EDT
Esther, I have to feel that parents of all economic levels feel the same pain their children can bring. However, should that be the only commonality different people share?
Spencer T. Aug 29, 2008, 8:17am EDT
Deborah, I had no idea I was poor til I entered the Army and even then it had limited influences on me.
Spencer T. Aug 29, 2008, 8:18am EDT
No Lori, no plans to publish anytime soon. Thanks though.
Spencer T. Aug 29, 2008, 8:23am EDT
Thank you PW. Always good to see you around.
Spencer T. Aug 29, 2008, 8:24am EDT
Selene, your words never fail to enthrall me. Thank you.
kokomo *. Aug 29, 2008, 5:57pm EDT
Grief is a "common denominator." It levels the playing field in an unfortunate way, but makes us see that we all have much more in common than we have of differences. Yet differences are focused on. Excellent poem, with not a trace of self pity. But I wouldn't have expected anything less from you!
denise e Aug 29, 2008, 6:23pm EDT
very nice
J R B. Aug 29, 2008, 11:16pm EDT
Very nice Spencer, makes no difference if rich or poor, your father will grieve.
Ladybounty ~. Aug 30, 2008, 2:13am EDT
Wow....a powerful depiction of the startling differences.....chilling when you really ponder it! We do all grieve the same though......perfect!
marla p. Aug 31, 2008, 7:21am EDT
I can't help noticing the same things around me. Very different worlds. I like your poem.
Cheryl W. Aug 31, 2008, 3:11pm EDT
Wow...excellent write, Spencer. Very unique perspective here that really makes one think..
Wonderfully written and so full of emotion. I was talking to our Aunt the other day, who, though she's in a fairly advanced stage of alzheimers, was clear that day for awhile. She was talking about growing up in the Depression and the things that they did and so much of it was that they never (as children) really realized that they were poor, because in so many different ways, family - friends - love, they were rich beyond belief.
Marilyn
Shelbia C. Sep 3, 2008, 3:25am EDT
I think this one is beautiful.
Zara' N. Sep 3, 2008, 3:30pm EDT
I know that there is another whole tale being told here...and I thoroughly agree...

But for me, it brought to the fore:

No father to teach me
No father to love
How to learn of man
without a guiding one

All men become father
Each one touched
Making me wonder
Is this what's called love

Sometimes I still wonder
Sometimes I know
This man called father
I've never known...

Z'
Jean E. Sep 4, 2008, 8:38am EDT
as someone above said, startling differences - although lived at the same time, then ......and at the same time, now.......kudos Spencer, you always provide something to chew on throughout the day~j
graham Lear Sep 5, 2008, 5:26pm EDT
That is so true Spencer.I enjoyed reading that poem
Liz [site-raven] Sep 7, 2008, 12:40pm EDT
Somehow, you, and I do believe that you alone, have bridged the significant class differences that face so many. You did it in a seamless manner and you did it beautifully. I hope this finds you well. I miss you.
necee t. Sep 8, 2008, 12:39am EDT
very well written, Spencer... Bless you...
Lydia aka Freedom's Daughter Sep 11, 2008, 7:59am EDT
Exactly. Our mutual sufferings makes the whole divided way we live all that much more senseless. Pain is pain for everybody.
t b. Sep 20, 2008, 4:16pm EDT
This is very good Spencer.
I always enjoy reading you.

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