One Father to Another

Behind those eyes then rose a tear the first blood I had ever drew From the depths of his tiny soul where innocence bid me adieu

Son Tate

Each day my son with thoughtful eyes

looked up to me through his laughter

Knowing I would be kind and wise

from that time and ever after

 

 

Once bitten from pain of divorce

I had shed teardrops of my own

From depths my boy had drug me back

he had never left me alone

 

 

Then came the moment I had feared

when my temper did hurt my son

Deep like the pain from my divorce

left me to ask, "what have I done"

 

 

Behind those eyes there rose a tear

the first blood I had ever drew

From the depths of his tiny soul

where innocence bid me adieu

 

 

Fearing grief would hinder his sleep

and not knowing what I should say

I looked to find him in slumber

there beside our picture he lay

 

 

Asleep in pain his eyes had closed

I felt my heart begin to moan

A sole tear lie upon his cheek

where I left a few of my own

So now whenever I am asked

to bless him with my permission

I think on what I lost that day

when I forced on him submission

Author's Note

Whenever my son asks for my permission I always ask myself now, who will it hurt if I say yes? If the answer is only myself I always say yes. A lesson I learned the hard way. It seems I learn best that way. I should say the reference in this poem to blood being spilled was metaphoric, not literal. In this case I had just lost quite a bit in the divorce and was distraught. Little Tate just wanted my attention. When he started nagging me I turned on him and launched a tirade his way. The look on his face as a tear arose from his soul was heart wrenching. Having never seen me so upset he was devastated. The barb launched his way rebounded off his innocence to strike me dead center in my own heart. I had broken both our hearts. If ever an experience wrung the very water from my soul, this was it!

Reviews

[AprilRN1210]

This is such a tender, yet profound piece... I FEEL each word.. I feel each tear.. I feel the anguish.. oh my goodness.. I literally have chills right now.. I feel the depth at which you love this precious blessing.. It is pure, it is unconditional, and it is real.. This is my absolute favorite piece I have had the pleasure of reading on this site... You are truly talented, my friend... AMAZING!!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Now see many would say this was the hardest thing to write and admit But i beg to differ While I cannot read it without shedding a tear And cannot read it aloud writing it was easy it simply poured on the page

[AprilRN1210]

well, it poured brilliantly.. Thank you for sharing this with me.. I absolutely love it.. LOVE it.. not only do you have a wonderful talent, it seems you have a beautiful soul.. :)

[Tate Morgan]

I love my children But Tate holds a special place in my heart he and he alone went through my divorce with me and he alone saved my soul

[AprilRN1210]

I can feel that love shine through every tear soaked word sir and it touched me deeply.. I know you speak the truth.. You are blessed to have one another.. and I am blessed to have been able to read this breathtaking expression of that love..

[Rose Masen]

Wow. This was so touching, so amazing, so full of lessons learned and with each word read it was full of such love, and emotions that, to myself, cannot be explained because of the profound meaning behind them. It was amazing, Tate. Truly. One of my favorites.

[SR Urie]

Tate,
Great prose, sir. Marriage is an extremely difficult institution at best, and children multiply issues enormously. But when you add that capital D of divorce to the equation, emotions have to fly or the parties involved tend to explode. You're a lucky man by having such a great family, Tate. Take care of them the best you can while you can my friend.

BZ

S

[Siddhartha]

Oh but children indeed are the fathers of men. This poem is heartfelt Tate. Elders are sometimes so confident of themselves that they refuse to see the world from a child's perspective - where the world is full of possibilities and nothing seems impossible.

[Rikkevi Rue]

No medium can reflect the emotions of a father like the crystal clear spiritual pond of a sons innocence, and no arrow can pierce deeper into the heart of a parent than his childs, but particularly a son holds a sacred key to his fathers heart, for what father sees not his pure and innocent self in his son. No trust can shine so pure and no love and adoration is so complete as the love of a son for his father, before the father has broken faith. So saith the voice of this father...I been there brother! This of all your poems Tate is most empathetic and has a delicateness that would only be fully appreciated by a father who has a son "carved out of his own bosom" so to speak. A secret though...every son knows that his love for his father never truly wanes, it is merely under a cloud cover at times...splendid work my friend.

[Deviant Works]

Tate... This did indeed make me cry, my friend. I am still trembling with the tears. For so very long I have yearned to find a common ground with my father after my parents divorce. You see, I was the child in this. So in few words this completely broke my heart. "Asleep in pain his eyes were closed...I felt my heart begin to moan...A sole tear lie upon his cheek...where I left a few of my own..." Such a poetic master. Just basking in the love you have for your son. Absolutely heart wrenching piece and wonderful song choice.

[Judy Ponceby]

Heart rending write, to know we hurt our children. We are all human and as long as they learn that we all make mistakes, learn from them and try our best to make amends it is the most we can do. Other than love them wholely of course. :) As you do your son. Beautiful write Tate. And Adele is always wonderful. :)

[Robin]

how one moment can turn a life around . here , love is the saving grace .

[Vanessa Rico]

What tender, heartwarming poem that truly moves one's soul! You most certainly are an amazingly talented poet! The music was fitting and definitely fit with the poem, enhancing my experience as I read your magical words! I may not be a father, but I am a mom, and I understand exactly what you are trying to portray here! I am not a poet, so I can not review your poem on poetry lingo, but I do know what I like...and I like this! Brilliant and beautiful! You deserve a standing ovation for this one, but since I cant give you that...I hope you will settle for a 100!

[Derek S.Keck]

Powerful Tate. Few people are able to harness that introspective wisdom. I hurt with this one. It was all power.

[?]

Tate,
Why must you always make me cry. I so can relate to this with my own son and also on the other side in my own childhood. Except my parents werent so kind.
Yes I agree Mercy and Grace is to be taught to our children. This is what we have been taught from God, Mercy and Grace and so we pass it down to our children and hoping and knowing that they will share it too.
This is so beautiful Tate, I love the way you write, with such emotion, and all from your heart. It just amazes me. And yes you and a few others on here just love making me cry, dont you? lol
Awesome Tate, loved it all and the ending was the best.