The Whittling Man

 

An old fellow who donned an old tattered shirt
sat on a chair in his yard, he was poorer than dirt.
He spent his days whittling wood away
A hobby he liked quite a lot.
and on this day he whittled the wood
into a minature yacht

A farmer who didn't cotton to city livin'
so made the hills his plot
Couldn't read or write, just made an X on the spot
But he always yearn ed to be taught
To learn an education he just never got.

So as he whittled, he thought a little
About the years of yore when he was young
how life's yield was fruitful then
working hard but still filled with laughter and fun

His wife since passed on
and the children have gone
He sits and yawns all alone everyday
Sometimes he whistles a song
as he whittles life's memories in wood away.

Reviews

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

A wonderful picture painted here.
I really liked this poem.

[Constance Payne]

excellent imagery, I can see the old man setting there with so much to teach and no one left to learn. Beautifully written.

[Fran Marie]

thanks so very much;

[Larry Dyson]

wow you're watching me when the weather is cool enough..I used to teach carving of wood...very nice poem..

[Richielee]

great imagery ,vivid scene

[Emily B]

This is a very nice image. I've seen how many men sitting in front of their homes passing the days away their life's work long over and nothing left to occupy their hands but their knife and a piece of wood.

[The Archangel Gabriel]

A very interesting piece! I like the way that you turn such a simple story into an entertaining narrative. So often, I resort to excessive drama to keep people interested in my stories. That is America for you! Action packed drama all the time to make up for the lack of attention span that people have from television. I am pondering the possibility of not having a television until kids are 16 (or so). :)

I really like the "light rhyme" in this piece.

-Gabe