Walayee Poet Lay Whitlock-Ishway Poet Rhyme

My Parent

My Parent

The rules said “one parent not two”
Good for me as I only had you
No selection; no one to choose
Who is this parent; just follow the clues

Next rule; write something “profound” 
Something good or something that makes you frown
This one was easy 
Considering all you ever said was greasy

“You stupid _____”
This one was rich
“Go get the belt”
Not satisfied till there was a welt 
The pain is still felt

How about “you swine”
Became a preference in time
Not “go to bed”
Followed by a blow to the head
So hard could have become brain dead

Your scars are still here
Your pain I still wear
Your mistakes I still bare
Your voice I still hear

Your secrets I now declare
Your presence I no longer fear
Your wrong doings I am aware
Your hate is replaced with tender loving care

Did you follow the clues
Who's this in reference to
Someone you want to be related to
Perhaps it’s someone you already do
This is my parent… I wish it were untrue!

Lay


**For "My Parent" contest sponsored by Francine Roberts.
* Honorable Mention

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Carol Sunshine Brown January 5, 2011 at 5:38 AM Congratulations on your win Lay in the "My Parent" contest by Francine Roberts. Love, Carol

Sara Kendrick January 4, 2011 at 3:36 PM Congratulations on your win..Sara

T.A. Skyles-Theoklapoet January 4, 2011 at 3:15 PM OMG this is so sad my heart feels your pain Lay.I was told a bad childhood makes us better parents and somtimes thats true.Congrats on your HM.~LUV~Teresa

Carrie Richards January 4, 2011 at 10:21 AM The honesty of this poem so sad it is yet without the pity me overtones. Well written Lay...Congratulations! ~ Carrie

Eamon Duffin January 4, 2011 at 6:24 AM Hi Robert. Congratulations on your result in the contest with this great piece. A thoroughly deserved success. Good luck to you. Eamon

Dr.Ram Mehta January 4, 2011 at 5:20 AM Congratulations on this HM win in the contest of Francine, Walayee

Nette Onclaud January 4, 2011 at 3:50 AM dang! like this! definitely well-deserved… big hurrah, lay! :) nette

Joyce Johnson January 3, 2011 at 7:06 PM Congratulations Walayee with your skillful rendering of this sad poem and win. Love, Joyce

Linda-Marie Sweetheart January 3, 2011 at 5:55 PM Congrats Lay on your HM in My Parent contest with this awesome write and entry my friend... enjoy your very special honor tonight with luv..

Francine Roberts January 3, 2011 at 5:40 PM thank you for supporting my contest Lay, congrats on your HM in the contest

Deb Wilson January 2, 2011 at 7:56 AM so very sad is the truth about your childhood Lay..I too had an abusive childhood with an abusive father and a mother who looked the other way..yet you grew up to be able to write so beautifully...love,Deb

Sierra Cowan January 1, 2011 at 7:19 PM Wow! that is all I have to say. This poem is amazing. One of my all time favourite, most likely do to the fact that I can relate. I'm sure you have a very high chance of winning this contest. Keep up the great writing! :) Love Sierra!

Joyce Johnson January 1, 2011 at 10:04 AM Waylayee. Someone loved you enough to give you such a pretty name. If this is a true depiction of your childhood I couldn't be sorrier. I see you are asking for poems of childhood darkness. I will not be entering, I have nothing to offer but i will be reading with sadness. Happy New Year Waylayee. We can't control the past but the future is ours to command. Love, Joyce

Carolyn Devonshire January 1, 2011 at 8:44 AM Oh, Lay, it sounds like you were raised under adverse conditions by a parent who didn't express love and compassion. I'm so sorry to hear that. A powerful entry for Francine's contest. Wishing you luck, my friend. Hope 2011 proves to be a great year for you! Love, Carolyn

Crystal Wilkins January 1, 2011 at 8:28 AM this poem so sad, you capture the emotion in it wonderfully, it is such a beautiful poem with such sad words Thank you for my comment and I hope you have a wonderful new year!

Walayee Poet Lay Whitlock-Ishway January 1, 2011 at 7:05 AM Hey Rob, I agree there was def something wrong. I can understand how abuse like any other tradition can be passed down from one generation to the other as I've seen this first hand. I think there was some psychological and cultural influence in my case. Because of the circumstances I faced I chose to break the cycle and I overcompensate or spoil my girls which is definitely not the wisest thing to do. But it's definitely better than the alternative. Regardless of the reasoning, it's wrong. Lay

Sara Kendrick January 1, 2011 at 7:00 AM Sad story about a parent..So many suffer at the hands and lips of the person who is suppose to love them the most..Good work for the contest..Reads like a winner to me..Thanks for stopping by my blog..Sara

The Situation December 30, 2010 at 8:21 PM no i didnt have a parent like that. i had diciplinary parents that whiped me but three of those whippens from my father went way too far. it destroyed the love that he could have had when he died. but you know how that is don't you.

Linda-Marie Sweetheart December 30, 2010 at 7:23 PM Lay this is constructed so well and told so emotionally .. so sorry u had to bear this pain but releasing the scars is good for your healing process... wonderful entry and good luck my friend... a sad remembrance but a wonderful poem my friend.. with luv..

Robert A. Dufresne December 30, 2010 at 6:10 PM I've found the best we can do is to try to understand why they were that way. Many times it has been handed down to them also or they too are suffering from ptss and are passing it on as a means to deal with it or are just ignorant of it and the damage it causes. This has helped in some cases. And then need help dealing with the ptss it has passed on to the children. great poem striking to the heart of the matter, Lay