Strangers

‘We never had much in common,’ said

The man in the sailor hat,

‘He was the father, I was the son,

And that,’ he said, ‘was that!

We had some fun in my younger days

And he seemed to always care,

I grew, and we went our different ways

And I lost him then, out there.’

‘Why would you turn your back on him,’

I asked, and he shook his head,

‘Didn’t you think one day you’d blink

And your father would be dead?’

‘I didn’t believe it would cut me down,’

He said as he wiped a tear,

And leant his back on the headstone, 

‘I didn’t know that I’d meet him here.’

‘So what was that final argument

That made you get up and go?

I asked him once what had turned your head

And he said that he didn’t know.’

‘Neither do I, but he must have said

A word, and my temper flared,

A single thing with an inner sting

That said he had never cared.’

‘He always cared, I can tell you that,

From the time you could kick a ball,

He only had eyes for you, his son,

But surely, you can recall.’

I left him sat on the grave while I

Went off to brood on my own,

Then found that he’d scratched ‘I love you Dad,’

Too late, on that old headstone.

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[No one]

the last sentence broke my heart into peices. and this part
"‘Why would you turn your back on him,’
I asked, and he shook his head,
‘Didn’t you think one day you’d blink
And your father would be dead?’
‘I didn’t believe it would cut me down,’
He said as he wiped a tear,
And leant his back on the headstone, 
‘I didn’t know that I’d meet him here.’" reminded of something similiar that happened to me.
such an important subject you wrote about, much relate!

[Celie Rose]

‘Why would you turn your back on him,’
I asked, and he shook his head,
‘Didn’t you think one day you’d blink
And your father would be dead?’
‘I didn’t believe it would cut me down,
’Then found that he’d scratched ‘I love you Dad,’
Too late, on that old headstone."
An emotional write Sad but powerful. Too little too late.
A hard life lesson. There is an expression that my late mom
use to say. "Give me my flowers while i'm here, don't wait till i'm gone."
Very touching poem. Well written and expressed.

[Valentine]

WOW.....one of your best. So deep and moving. luckily I had close relationships with both of my parents. I wish all kids today were fortunate enough to have both parents in their lives. Valentine

[A Soap Mess Stories]

A great depiction of a father-son relationship. Great story David.

[M. L. F.]

Just read this one again... It is SO utterly stunning and poignant. Thank you for sharing this spectacular piece of work with the world! .... Misty

[M. L. F.]

Fathers.... I had the same. It was too late for me also to say those things to my own father's headstone. This poem is very powerful. It is filled with soul and memories, which you laid out for as all to envision right through your very own eyes. Great writing..

[Miss Marlette]

I was moved to tears reading this poem. I love my father so much.

[Ayvid N]

A very touching and beautiful poem on relationships...Much appreciated.

[Coyote Poetry]

A powerful and sad tale written my friend. We learn too late. The love and the concern of the people near. I liked the ending. Thank you David for sharing the outstanding story in the poem.
Coyote

[ANTO]

Some say we are programmed to take over from the Father - perhaps it's an urge that manifests differently from man to man but I think there's a bit of Oedipus in us all to varying degrees - if we take it to an extreme then a fallout is bound to occur. The lucky ones see it for what it is - ancient, primal, archaic and get to build those bridges.
A moving piece, David. Well done my friend.