The Blade

I know someday he'll cut himself as boys always seem to do Mixing his blood, with tears and mud to each owner it ever knew

Drake and I. Father son night at school.

My grandfather was a marine

who made us think he could spit nails

Forged in the war, baked to the core

a man honed from his life’s travails

From him came my own father

whom then worked sun up to sunset

Driving horses, on race courses

of a life I'll never forget

 

My grandfather had owned a knife

where it came from I'll never know

Held by this man, whose own life span

had never bent nor been laid low

He passed that knife to my father

who in turn then gave it to me

And through our blood, the dirt and mud

it had bound itself to all three

 

I met Drake when he was seven

a troubled, angry, lonesome, child

This wondrous brain, who hid his pain

in a heart that was brash and wild

He'd touched my soul in such a way

I couldn't help but feel his pain

So unafraid, I gave that blade

forging a link to my own chain

 

I know someday he'll cut himself

as boys always seem to do

Mixing his blood, in tears and mud

to each owner it ever knew

I wish I could have been Drake's dad

so sad that I wasn't the one

I hoped he'd see, this gift from me

was meant from a father to son

Author's Note

Drake and I have had a bond that was as strong as any father and child. I passed my knife onto Drake because he would appreciate it. I had hoped whenever he held it he would think of the bond between us.

Reviews

[Veronica Chandler]

This moving piece reminds me of just how profound an impact we have on the lives of one another; truly there is no measure sufficient to judge how a small and simple gesture can and does change the very fabric of people. Something which may seem a kind and moving gesture, may in the end, turn out to change the very course of a persons life. That simple act can grow exponentially and reach far beyond our wildest imaginings. Even our highest hopes for someone could easily be surpassed by the actual good, in the end created by a simple, thoughtful act of kindness. Those that came before us blazed the trail and made the way clearer for all those to come afterwards. I doubt your grandfather could have imagined how his legacy touched the life of someone he would never know.

""Every boy that has a father missing from his life, has a hole inside his soul the size and shape of his father. The mother can raise a good citizen, an educated man with good ethics and values, but he will always have that hole inside his soul; the size and shape of his father."
~Oprah~

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Veronica.It didn't go unnoticed by me that Oprah agrees with Mark Ric and I. Happiness is a joyous child.

[Mockingbird]

it means a lot to have been given an object from someone's family's legacy. i'm sure he thinks of you fondly whenever he takes out the knife and starts reminiscing. it was very thoughtful of you to do such a selfless deed.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you

[Ravyne Hawke]

love the tone and flow of this.. love the imagery of the knife and how it is used to forge bonds... I've always loved the simplicity of your style, bringing ordinary moments to life in a simple poetic way... you capture language better than anyone I've read in a long time. Thanks for sharing this snapshot of your life with your readers.

[Tate Morgan]

lori i dont hear from you often but when i do it is always sweet and endearing thank you

[Ravyne Hawke]

my pleasure, Tate... always great to hear from you as well. =)

[Andy Ruffett]

"Drake's dad" not "Drakes dad". I love the poem though. We all have possessions we want to be remembered by and a knife can be one of those symbols.

"I know someday he'll cut himself

as boys always seem to do

Mixing his blood, with tears and mud

to each owner it ever knew"

Favourite stanza.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you andy i fixed the mistake

[hundi]

I like the graphite , that style can be tricky , but you did a nice job, it's all in the shading -ha ha , I love the power of hand me down things , good poem also Tate, I have twin girls and I've wondered what the perfect hand me down could be , I know I'll find it when the time is right, you always capture the beauty in simple lives ,no matter how complicated it is

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you i had to invent a way to darken this pic as it needed more shading

[patricia]

This was a realy well written poem Tate, I enjoyed it immensely. It had voice and rythm and what i liked most of all was the character portrayal especially in that first stanza, it was realy powerful. Bye for now. Trish.

[Tate Morgan]

Trish i love your reviews

[A Soap Mess Stories]

So touching! :-) I've always felt you could be a mother or father to any child whether they were you're flesh and blood or not.

[Tate Morgan]

Star thank you

[A Soap Mess Stories]

You're welcome! ;-)

[Marie]

I love the picture. I know the bond between you and Drake are very strong; like the bond between you and your son.

I'd never heard the song before.
You know, don't you, that you must always pay for a knife given to you?

[Tate Morgan]

marie thank you

[Kenneth The Poet]

One beautiful write. Haven't read you in a while, Tate.

Glad I finally did.

[Tate Morgan]

Ken Always a pleasure to hear from you sir

[Sheila Kline]

Your memories of Drake and the bond that you forged with him early in life in comparison with the same kind of bond with your grandfather, father, and now your son are those that are eternal!! You have tied it all together like droplets of blood once dripping one at a time, now pool together as a lifeline infusing new life, with memories of the past!
Beautiful Tate, simply majestic with a message that cuts through the heartache of life!
And to Fabian.........the song is perfect!
Going in my favorite file......just wonderful Tate!! Your words, drawing, and music have created a masterpiece!!

[Tate Morgan]

Sheila your review was absolutely beyond sweet Thank you