Paternal Bond

Are all men harnessed to the same cold fate

To that of their helpless fathers?

And does the sting of whiskey seep into the pores

Of a lineage—a generation?

Does a cruel hand fall upon an unborn child

Before his father has left his home?

Will that child grow to pass on bruises

To the loved one he calls his own?

‘Cause I’ve seen white walls trap a family whole

Before that father has even grown

And I’ve seen a son swear to break from it all

To learn more than his Papa had known

But if it’s tears you count from a slip of the tongue

For a cheek left red and heating

Promise me all you’ll pass off to your son

Is a heart that will never stop beating!

 

Reviews

[Muhammad]

Man...this is one of the best poems I've read on here. It really made me captruel what a kid in that situation would be going through and I bet a lot of kids out there can relate to this. This is nice!

[D. Pesek]

this is your most clever poem thus far. This is something that happens all the time, and kids always swear to be different. But once they reach adulthood, do they really follow through on their childhood promise? The last line was clearly well thought out. The use of the word beating leaves a bit of the story up to the reader. Personally, a heart that keeps beating, could either be one that keeps literally beating, living, loving. Or, the other interpretation, which I feel was the one you had in mind when writing this (correct me if I am wrong.) could be a heart; a man's, that continues a poor relationship with his son, like his father did with him.

This is what I got from this poem, at least.

[Christian Tirol Dacula]

ALAS