Tag Archives: father
I, Father
When they were born, he was humbled quiet,
his heart taking seed in that fresh ground, quiet.
Much of the turmoil in his mind settled,
until even his feelings did sound quiet;
and when they were taken, to his own shame,
instead of protest they only found quiet.
The sapling he had been, grown in lush soil,
infertile now, withered with profound quiet.
Far too late, he begged for their love returned,
pleading tears until they were drowned, quiet.
This offense, his only true legacy,
Brendon’s mouth twisted up, bound. Quiet.
Natural History
I remember the road,
the air raging against us
while time refused to move.
My father wore driving gloves
absurd shorts
a proud mullet.
When we stopped for gas he’d take note:
- The odometer
- The amount of gas
- The reconciled mileage
He’d check the oil each time.
Spitefully, the car gave up before he did,
and for three days in Virginia
my sister and I waited for parts to arrive,
so he could fix it.
and we-
could get back on the road.
I remember he was always confident-
hopeful;
only ever briefly apologetic,
secreting his resentments away
to hasty whispers he alone could hear.
When we finally arrived in DC,
we had two days left to visit the smithsonian…
I can’t remember why I enjoyed it so much.
XJ6
“You can’t see it through the rust
but there’s a real nice car beneath there,”
my father would say with a smile;
that expectant grin that invites you in.
It doesn’t make you tea or coffee
but it will gladly show you around.
His calloused hands covered in oil
would read the pocked surface like braille
blues and browns hiding brighter memories
that he could somehow see clearly
though he would rarely articulate.
If you were patient enough however
you’d see it in his youthful eyes
trapped in a cage of years indiscernible,
a child was there, lost amongst trees
though grateful for the forest.
He’d send another gulp of coffee down
and nod in respectful silence
as if all of us had agreed on something.
To be fair, even when we didn’t,
I wish we had. It always felt good
to share a destination with him
to hop into the front seat
and just let him drive;
rust be damned.
Rachael Makes Her Own Place
When her eyes light up like fire
it warms me to the core
to see her mind contract and expand
embracing all that’s in store.
To find and explore new thoughts
that she wants to understand
to give more than she ever got
with an energy that will never tire.
If you ever met her before
she’s likely left you inspired
with her offer of a helping hand-
a trait I’ve always admired.
She’ll feed you the food off her plate
and give you advice to contemplate
she retains all the lessons she was taught
and is the first to suit up as your mascot
A master of wit and satire
because laughter is one of her few desires
I couldn’t ask for anything more
the person she is I truly adore.
What fortune to live a life with her in it!
That brilliant, brave and beautiful misfit.
Samsquanch
Samuel Riley Behlke
is always there to help me
with a heart that’s exposed and raw
he fights his way out the worlds maw
In this strange and changing place
Samuel finds his own pace
focusing on the things he loves
and what he doesn’t, he’ll rise above
Because above all Samuel has tenacity
and a love for others in great capacity
he wants always to be part of a team
and to be held in great esteem
Which isn’t hard at all to do
because Sam is genuine, through and through.
His honesty will catch you off guard
while all subtlety he will discard.
We have shared some fascinating talks
and gone on some amazing walks
ever raged against each other as foes
but there are a few things I hope he knows
I love Samuel very much
and he may be my only son as such
but in that son I’ve gained a friend
a hero, a scholar and a mentorship that never ends.
Evelyn
I’ll not sing this song again,
I only remember it lazily,
Something that both has and has not been
Floating further away, listlessly.
There was tension between us,
Hidden hearts in shadows reaching.
Though we were outwardly callous,
Some things go on without speaking;
Until at last they don’t.
Of course the song still exists,
If asked to sing it, I won’t,
Because despite all this, the feelings persist.
Love may atrophy at cruelty’s whim,
But it lasts forever, this phantom limb.
Grow Gray With Me 