My Immortal Soul

I watch my son embark on life

and I wish him all the best

His way will be no easier

than it's been for all the rest

 

The first child's life is the hardest

as they blaze their new found trails

Upon their shoulders rides the weight

of siblings, hopes and travails

 

An old woman once asked of me

as she touched upon my fears

"What do you want your son to be

when he reaches adult years"

 

I thought a while then with a smile

said that"happy" was my goal

"There might be hope for mankind yet

and for your immortal soul"

We might just ask too much of each

newly born generation

 Expecting them to build upon

the previous foundation

 

It's pride that tweaks our vanity

in damned pride our soul believes

Why is it only through this pain

that by love, our soul relieves

  I'll have that old woman to thank

when I swim the great expanse

There I'll make for the distant bank

where fate may grant me that chance

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Author's Note

The weight we place upon the shoulders of our children is also a heavy burden we carry upon our own souls. Knowing they will try to reach those expectations, whose fault is it really but ours if they cannot? We give them the gift of life. Then try to lead by example. However we can only hope we have done well by them and headed them in the right direction. Let happiness be your guide!

Reviews

[zainul]

I dedicate my reverence to Tate Morgan who presented this masterpiece for the community of humans engaging their talent and time in WritersCafe.
This poem has envisaged a popular discussion which has already earned about 80 reviews ans 800 views.
I feel proud that Tate has become in his right a great preacher for the good of family,children,tradition and heritage.
Reading all the amazing reviews,I am convinced to say that the world still belongs to pure human beings,not to the fictional characters like vampires,wolves,ghosts and aliens.
Family bondage,love among parents and children,social norms and values and responsibility of parents to their children and vice versa still make the world moving like an entity.
Tate created this poem instilling all good characters of good poem with rhymes which he specifically mentioned in his note.This is a lesson for all of us who choose perfection.
He tried to add other elements to amuse his readers too.The portrait of a happy child in a field of cereal makes me so happy that I feel myself in the paradise.
The addition of wonderful music video to entertain the readers reflects his taste of classical heart.
I agree with all reviewers what have been noted here for the benefit of our children.I strongly feel
that this poem along with its precious reviews is a great symbol of benevolent poetry.

[Tate Morgan]

What could I say to that fine review that wasn't felt in the reading of it? Truly a genuine and benevolent gift .I I feel honored and humbly thank you
Tate

[zainul]

I feel honored that you have accepted this humble review.
Thank you very much.

[Michael G.]

We, as parents, give our children tools to further them along. We teach them how to use those tools. And we applaud or correct the use of the same tools. What they do with them is up to the child. Use them well, or pick up other tools and use them to find their way, their goals, their happiness. As a parent, Wishing for success and happiness should be enough... but, we would also want the best for their best.
Well written, as always Tate.

[Kaa Na Kalyanasundaram]

Telling good things, awareness, social evils, humanity approach and helping the distress are reflecting in your poetry. God bless U for a happy and long living on the earth. My sincere enquiries and wishes to your entire family members.

[Pax]

a really nice thought. If i will have children in the future, i don't want them to be like me. My back is already full of expectations, i dont want them to suffer the way i am. I want them to be whom they want to be. Seeing their happy faces is already enough, right. well done on this thought provoking poem

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

I once said to my husband when my grandmother died that ' It was irresponsible of me to me bring a child into this world who would ever feel the pain of this loss!' He, my son, has brought me innumerable joys and still I feel I never want him to feel such a thing...

[Extant]

Hmm, I don't have kids, truth be told I don't want to bring someone into this crazy, brutal world as a human. (It almost seems cruel to me, but that's my own opinion.) I understand, though, what you're saying, we all have our parental guardians who told us to do what we wanted but always in the end they seemed to tell us which classes to take, which college to go to, which boy/girlfriend they liked more or less. On the other hand, sometimes they do know best, we're their kids and we're here to make THEM happy. Isn't that why some people have kids? They feel like something is missing from their lives?

[Dayran]

Our immortality rests with our ability to reproduce and the way in which we guide the new birth into growth. It provides an assuarance of the continuity of our experience and with that, our ability to dream about the future. That, would certainly make anyone happy. A nice write Tate.

[JohnnyMagrinho]

Are you like a motivational speaker at some church or self-help group? And you are definitely a hit with the ladies if you are not married or with partner.

You get everyone talking and feeling passionate about your work. I guess in that sense you are using your poetry for a good cause.

[Dane Osborne]

One thing i like about your work, Tate, is that as simple as it appears, there is always great depth beneath the simplicity. It is very scary to look outside our comfort zones to see reality for what it can really be. That become even scarier when you have family and loved ones to worry about. It makes you wonder about what really lies beyond the realm of breath and if there is really a point to it all. Of course, nobody wants to think of such things. That's why they build churches and amusement parks.


As far as the theme about how to raise your children and how other people try to force certain customs and beleifs on them. Sometimes that can really go too far. But what it mostly comes from is where a parent has age and experince over the child and they want to use that to show him/her "hey this works for me and it can work for you too". But as it said in the film "Giant": "all you can do is raise them, you can't live their lives for them".

[BLBrown]

You are right...it is all about happiness. The times in my life that I had the greatest happiness had nothing to do with my career, or money, or prestige. It has always been about love...and love breeds happiness for it has no other choice.

Lovely poem. Congratulations on this one.

[afra]

beautiful ...i loved it ......you are a awesome writer ...keep writing