The Ties That Bind

My son thought it an adventure learning how to build on real scale Who could say they don't love the day when their sons light shone in detail

My son thought it an adventure

learning how to build in full scale

Who could say they don't love the day

when their boy's light shone in detail

 

We had worked into the evening

my son and I together played

Sharing the trials exchanging smiles

rebuilding the home where we stayed

 

He felt this would be a great test

knowing on him I would depend

I think he knew as I did too

that summer was about to end

 

I drift back in dreams to the day

we both held to our love of clan

The autumn breeze played through the trees

saying my boy was now a man

 

Johnny Cash   Home of the Blues 

Author's Note

Our house had suffered smoke damage last summer. It was a telling time for sure. But through it all my son stood by me. He and he alone helped me rebuild what we had lost. I realized when he turned down going to meet friends for a trip to Cedar point just to help me finish our new deck that he was a man. But as we passed smiles back and forth I also knew I was losing my little boy. It is a great feeling to know you have done well by your child. It is also so sad to realize that the day will soon come that I will have to let go. I can say when a man is a boy all the new days ahead are adventures. But to a father time seems to test your resilience. While everything is exciting to the young who find it new. Life makes us grow when older by learning to let go.

Reviews

[Stammers]

This is good. I love how much of your writing is dedicated to your son. I expected from the picture and title for this to be about the loss of your house, but instead it is the 'tie of the bond' to your son and the loss of a part of him as he grows up. Interesting piece.

[Jazique]

Sad but, we all have happy endings in some way. Way to go and hope you had good fortunes after such an experience because"Only rainbow after rain
the sun will rise again."

[qaralynn]

another beautiful poem!

[littlelilypurplebride]

Beautiful and heartfelt poem makes me think when i was 6 or 7yrs. old on top of my grandpas roof with him helping no i didn't fall off he was close thing to a Dad i do have happy memories of my dad i just thought of that one with my grandpa i hope i can make many memories like that with my son. Shalom lily

[Zeek4]

What a wonderful heart felt poem. Such a beautiful picture into such an intimate time in your life. I had a similar experience when my daughter was a little girl and she found all the baby teeth the Tooth Fairy had collect. The look of awareness in her eyes was one more step to adulthood. Your experience was the grand finale to parenting your children to adulthood, now you can experience all the benefits of raising a good kid.

[Alicia Schroeder]

Through tragity, you made comfort and strengthened your bond with your son.. Beautiful peice

[Clockwork]

I think that this really reflects the love you feel for your son. Bases on the flow, I could tell that it was hard to see him grow up. The end of the piece shows the happiness that came out of that tough time, and the joy that you both gleaned by building something new.

[Chirinos20]

It is a great story! I left my nephews when I had to move. Its so hard to think about it and know that you won't spend time with them. The time that you used to have and that now won't be possible to spend with them. It should be 3 or 4 times harder when is a son you are letting go.

[Mark]

A sweet story. I liked the way you snuck that internal rhyme into the third line of each stanza. Never had any children of my own, though, so can't really speak to the depth of that kind of emotion.
PS: "Trees" requires no apostrophe.

[Judy Ponceby]

How incredibly moving. Having a son of my own, and watching him grow and learn, brings your story home to me. Beautifully written and touching. Thank you for sharing.