Life's Purpose

My duty in this life is clear pass love from the child within me Along with prayers from those that died for all the hopes of things to be

My rendition of my grandfather Eddie and Freddie Volo graphite on canvas

Each day I wonder why I'm here

is it to fill what love requires

Or is there much more to my life

than all the joys my heart desires

 

I have been the emissary

of ancestors who came and went

My purpose lay within the genes

that through life and death they have sent

 

As thousands struggled lived and died

they entrusted within my soul

Hopes and dreams from generations

that led family in life's goal

 

My duty in this life is clear

pass love from the child within me

Along with prayers from those who've died

for the hopes of things that might be

 

While I tie my child to the past

going back to antiquity

He takes me into the future

granting us immortality

Author's Note

I have often thought that a fathers job lay not only in his ability to provide.It is to enlighten your children with love of life. With that in mind I feel it important that we pass old wisdom's to the new. Time has a way of wearing us down. The old recriminations seem to ring out hollow as we ourselves become polished by the winds of time. In that end we see that enlightenment shows bright upon the simple truths that society masks and hides. We are here to succeed in life. Not monetarily but by producing a better version of us each time. Darwin would be proud. However to me Humanity has transcended the boundary of sentient thought. Leaving us a greater purpose that of carrying our brother along with us on life's journey.
Yesterday was the 20th running of the memorial race for my grandfather Eddie.may he rest in peace.
They don't make those men anymore!

Reviews

[Sheila Kline]

We are charged and blessed to endow to our children the good of us, of life, wisdom to make decisions separating fact from fiction, a smile for those who have not one, an embrace, and perhaps most of all a heart of love for the hurting! Your wonderful message reminds us of how important a task it is!

Another beautiful write!

[Quinn Blackburn]

Beautifully expressed Truth, a wonderfully kind and quietly wise wordcrafting. excellent work! That image is a hilarious accompaniment :o) It would work better if it were smaller though, less distracting, and perhaps the poetry centered beneath it rather than justified to the left. I enjoyed the ebb and flow of this philosophical piece. It allows the reader to proceed at their own pace, absorbing and reflecting upon what is being said in their own time. Some readers may find themselves backtracking to confirm clarity, as not everyone will fully absorb the deeper thoughts here at the same level as their reading pace. Perhaps I just connected well with this piece and it's overall philosophy, but I felt no such difficulty. Again, excellent work!

[My Fair Lady]

I always love your "parenting poetry" It opens the window into that soft soul of a man that you are. Really beautiful Tate.

It's important for a father to nurture his children, regardless of whether or not he is the primary caregiver. We see the effect of absent fathers in our society. The children can grow up jaded and hopeless, angry at the world. They often find replacement father figures if their own has passed away or is doing an inadequate job. Nice job, Tate.

[Dane Osborne]

The idea of the transitory as an inherent part of all things is scary to many people. I am a big enough person to admit that it scares the daylights out of me. How that is relevant to this poem is that I sometimes wonder about all the struggle and suffering in the world, about things like decay and impermanence. Not out of pessimism but rather just staunch realism. It is easy, very easy to allow those things to make you lose touch with the simple pleasures and joys that make life beautiful. This was a very well written and deceptively thought provoking. I have come to notice that in your pieces, however simple and quaint they seem they still yet have unexpected depth in a Robert Frost-esque kind of way. Thank you for reccomending this to me. 100/100

[Valentine]

Tate, coming from a German Jewish background,,,I lost a lot of old ancestors...those memories haunt one with this blood in their veins,,but I would not like to see it lived as they must of at Hitlers decree..thankfull one man escaped Frederick Biegler...to France and then America...my dad ...a dutchman all of the way..I am a christian, part of my family are jewish..Kathie Some memories are gifts from God that death cannot destroy..Kathie

[They.Call.Me.Mo]

I feel as though your poem spoke to me. Beautifully written and absolutely ingenious. Keep it up :]

[Michelle Grayson]

Wow! This was so awesome! You poem walked me through memories of those things that i've learned from my parents and grandparents over the years. I agree with you that the wisdom need be passed on. I just hope that the younger generations will continue to listen to the stories and tales that teach. There is so much held within the minds of our elders and it would be a tragedy for it to fade as they fade and never be carried on.

Fantastic!
MG