Cherokee

My father was a Cherokee,
he  was teaching his children about life,
how to fly a plane [lights off, drunk],
how to drive a car [lights off, drunk]
how to kneel at the bedside and recite the lord's prayer,
and at the end,
a confused crossing motion
and the bit about the bedbugs;
 
there is a moment's question within me,
he would say,
as he beat the 'bye jesus' out of us.

there is a conflict i cannot swallow-i can't make it go away.

you have inherited this;
when you recover,
you will value that you are still alive....

...do stars matter? do you see the morning sky,
all beginning and full of bloom,
or
do you see the evening sky. all full of room and promise,
and a disturbing loss of time.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2009

Poem

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Devonshire Avatar
September 24, 2009 at 7:01 AM
How sad that you grew up with a father whose emotions were tainted and twisted by alcohol. A lot of Native Americans turned to drinking to relieve the sense of having lost their inheritance to the white man. I'm sure he is haunted by the "disturbing loss of time" and hope you can find a way to help him. Powerful poem, Thomas. It touched my heart. God bless you! Love, Carolyn
Culverhouse Avatar
September 24, 2009 at 6:07 AM
nicely penned,
Kendrick Avatar
September 24, 2009 at 5:14 AM
Interesting thoughts put to pen, Thomas. I can see the hypocrisy in this. Keep writing. Sara
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