A son's burden

Captivating the poignant journey of a man navigating the complex relationship with his mother as he balances his own responsibilities as a husband and father.

Once cradled close in tender care,

A boy now grown; love laid bare.

In his mother’s eyes, he was the light,

Her baby boy, her heart’s delight.

 

But time has turned the wheel of fate,

The ties now tight and taut, not great.

No longer the child she could adore,

But a man with a life, and family to care for.

 

With his father gone, the pampering ceased,

A void where affection was once released.

He stands now with duties vast,

Caught between shadows of a troubled past.

 

His wife and child, his heart’s true claim,

Deserve his love, his care, his flame.

Yet his mother’s needs are fierce and wide,

A storm of demands he cannot hide.

 

In every word, a plea, a cry,

A life now tangled, strained, and shy.

His love for her is deep and true,

But her care’s a burden he can’t renew.

 

Her past affection haunts him still,

Her present needs, a heavy thrill.

His patience worn, his efforts stretched,

In echoes of the love once pledged.

 

He suffers not from lack of heart,

But struggles to play his part.

To balance love with what he can give,

In a world where the past won’t forgive.

 

Yet in his trials, a truth shines bright,

A testament to his enduring fight.

In the shadow of her demanding plea,

He carries the weight with silent dignity.

 

Though the path is fraught and long,

He seeks to mend where hearts belong.

In the balance of love and the past’s cruel call,

He stands, a son, amidst it all.

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

Very good use of rhyme and meter in this one. It depicts a story more than one man has seen. A man, once the apple of his mother's eye, now finds her needs depriving him of time with his own family. We are not told how he finally solves this problem, only that he realizes he must give his mother her time, while understanding his main responsibilities are to his own family.

[Gregoria Somol Ahmed]

Thank you for taking the time to read my poem and for your thoughtful feedback! I appreciate your kind words about the rhyme and meter. You’ve captured the essence of the situation perfectly—the struggle between duty to family and personal obligations.

I understand your point about wanting to know how he resolves the issue. The poem reflects a current and ongoing struggle, which is why it ends where it does. Sometimes, these complex emotions don’t have clear solutions, and I wanted to convey that uncertainty.
Thanks again for your insights!