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..

[RubyOmma]

He is beautiful. The writing is too. Pictures in my mind. Awesome expression, I loved it.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Ruby I am touched you liked it I took him to school yesterday. I swear i though my heart was going to break again as i left him there.I couldnt sleep last night after feeling so lost. I woke this morning to find I had fallen asleep in his bed. I swear being a parent is a hard job but the one i am best at.

[MomzillaNC]

That's the nature of parenthood, the struggle of every decision. When is it too far? When is it too much? Is it ever justified.

The one thing I carried from my childhood is to NEVER respond in anger. Every beating was born of rage. But, I know my child must be taught, must be disciplined. Every time I must tell him "no" or punish him, especially if it's that rare paddling, is filled with doubt and self-castigation. I've been told by complete strangers that I'm spoiling him. But I feel such a harridan when I must discipline him.

And, then, as in your poem, there are those times when I'm too harsh with him because of my own momentary issues. I've never hit him at those times; that's just too crippling an idea for me. But, I do yell at him to much, venting my frustration on his head. The confusion and hurt in his eyes -- he always recognizes the injustice of it -- accuses and convicts. It's so hard to stop being a stressed, tired, injured adult and to just be his parent in that moment. Your poem captures that struggle, that failure, and the guilt and self-loathing born of that moment when we fail.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you while the story here of drawing blood was only in my mind i never struck my child but the tirade i threw his way broke both our hearts and taught me the limits of my humanity

[MomzillaNC]

Children are perhaps the best teachers of what humanity is and should mean.

With my own son, I've found he quickly recovered and forgot those 2 or 3 swats on his bottom. But those tirades that were more about my own stuff would stick with him, seemed to really hurt. I think perhaps, because he knew it wasn't about him. Children have such rigid sense of injustice. Sadly, as we become adults, we learn to soften the edges, to look at injustice through foggy lenses. It takes harsher and more horrifying injustices to capture our attention, to arrest our complacency.

[Tate Morgan]

agreed i suppose

[Chaselyn]

This was really beautiful for me to read as a daughter growing up and beginning to realize that my parents are merely humans... It's refreshing to see the regret and acknowledgement of mistakes from the parent's point of view as it makes it easier for me to sympathize with them as well as identify as an individual rather than their project. It sounds like you're a very compassionate father.

[Tate Morgan]

MY son has been the greatest gift of my life and this moment was the one that wrung the very water from my soul Thank you

[WE]

A true love of a Father for his son , brings tears to your eyes and warmth to your heart.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Gracie I Have never forgotten the day i broke my sons heart.

[Natalia]

Wow. There really are no words to describe how fantastic this poem is. You moved me deeply and thank you for sharing something that I know is very hard to admit. Thought I can't relate to the same experience, I know how hard it can be to admit something, so we turn to poetry because it expresses what we are trying to say best. You should let your son read this some day. I know that if my father had written a poem about some of the times he had done things that I didn't understand, reading his words would have helped me better understand his motives. Truly well done. Cheers!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you so sorry it took a while for me to answer this review. I think it is a shared experience between us all

[Natalia]

Not a problem!
I very much agree :)

[David Lewis Paget]

It's hard being a parent, Tate. There are no courses for about-to-become-parents. We have to learn as we go along, and sometimes we make bad decisions. Sometimes we're just feeling harassed by adult problems, and take it out on the nearest target. I've done it myself. But hopefully, when the kids grow up, and have children of their own, they will look back and understand .

[Tate Morgan]

Dave I felt bad about this .But Tatertot had forgotten it by morning

[Catrina De Maria]

This a wonderfully, heart warming poem, about the love a father has for his son.

An excellant write, that brought tears to my eyes! It's always difficult for a family, at a time of divore, particularily for a child, and I think you expressed this wonderfully!
Well done :)

[shallimarRose]

Tate this is quite good and brought tears. You have a very close relationship with your son. Thats so wonderful even after divorce. My husband paid little attention after the divorce.. Congratulations on winning 2nd place Tate.. xo

[Sharon L.H. Kelly]

How did I miss this gem? An honest and feeling piece of writing. Poignant...and so true.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you Sharon this poem tugs at my heart so much