Best Fathered Poems
I have lived a thousand lives, died a thousand deaths.
I have loved women unbounded and fathered an army of children.
I have killed and healed, stolen and blessed, fought and fled.
Jew, Christian, Muslim I have been-- Buddhist, Hindu and Jain, too.
I worshiped the sun and Thor, pagan gods galore....
I was atheist, agnostic, Marxist, and often, just indifferent.
I was cruel, I was kind, I was hateful, I was forgiving.
I laid waste to cities and wrote operas and symphonies
and little songs to dance around forever in your head....
I was poet and philanderer, philosopher and philanthropist,
theologian and scientist-- also guard and prisoner, and
many, many times, false lover or the one betrayed....
All my lives were dreams, each slipping away to be forgotten
early in dawn of the next life, none to be recalled until I awaken
in the time beyond time....
Categories:
fathered, atheist, mystery,
Form:
Blank verse
You speak into your child's life in whispers
With the strength of the four winds
No need for yelling
For your child has expectant ears
Wisdom
A fathered gift
Born out of pained understanding
Mistakes not needed to be repeated
Your love an inoculation to failure
Resilience will permeate a new generation
You smile with furrowed brow
For time passes much to quickly
There is fear there is some lesson you have forgotten
Not what you want for your begotten
Still you see this precious ones progression
He possess strength laughter and compassion
Humored moments and strong funny bones
Will insure this child will never be alone
A tender heart and a will like a stone
One day
You will have to let go
Time progresses it never slows
Deep inside your heart grows because you know
You have given your all
This child will rise up tall
Won't be afraid to fall
He heeds your Father's call
For he has learned at your loving feet
Wisdom has been his bountiful feast
Some day he'll be a father too
He'll bring blessings back to you
For you have been faithful
and a father true
Inspired by Funom's poem, "Words of Wisdom to My Child".
Categories:
fathered, blessing, father,
Form:
Free verse
The old indian chief had seen much
fought in many a battle or raid
he had fathered seven children
with his four fine young wives
Now he took his ease
sat smoking his pipe
with the other elders
spent time in dreamland
He knew it would not be long
before the great white spirit
came calling out his name
he had made his peace with all
His children and wives wept
when he departed in his sleep
they carefully dressed him
and laid him on the platform
His favourite spear and shield
thick fur rugs and some pots
his faithful horse battle dressed
some gold and his finest headdress
When all was ready the witch doctor
Set the platform ablaze with fire
wailing his wives mourned his passing
as the fire died his ashes blew away
Now in the after life
he hunts once more
riding the ghost horse
he races through the skies
10/31/2013
contest: Native American People
Categories:
fathered, native american,
Form:
Free verse
Dad, how much I loved you
You did not give me time to tell;
So quick was your way to depart
That sorrow and grief
That came my way
Are yet to breathe their last.
You knew how to play with me
Whenever I fell short of friends;
You knew how to never impose on me
Anything that I disliked;
You knew to take me out of punishment
The moment I had shed tears.
You knew to make me
Holy and intelligent
By the examples you did set;
You knew to give me time
Even if it was in short supply;
You knew to motivate me
By the inspiring deeds you did.
You knew to take interest in things
That were close to my heart;
You knew to show happiness
At each and every success,
That came my way in school.
Humble and generous you were
As none I have ever known;
The more I have dug deep
To unravel you,
With the brushes of my heart,
The higher have you grown
In my love and esteem.
Behind your gentle eyes
There was ever this much warmth
That knew to melt away
All traces of unhappiness
Clinging onto me
In my hours of despair,
And declare the spring of love and friendship
Even with all the ice strewn around.
Yet, you knew not to show me
Your pain and discomfort
As you plunged deep
Into the woes of health
And breathed your last;
My head bends to the Almighty
To have had been fathered
By a soul like you.
Categories:
fathered, dad, father, love, memory,
Form:
Free verse
Here further down the hillside slope
Down close to the creek with hope
My husband bought a house, land
Fenced in and made many plans
Subdued the land to cow pasture
And planted a garden, fruit trees sure
Fathered another child to call him sir
The creek seemed to like the stir
Enjoyed the children for a little while___
Loved them so that it made her smile
Today she loves grandchildren the same
No girls there are in frills ___tame
The creek keeps on flowing to the sea
The land is mostly stripped of trees
(This is my adaptation of Robert Frost's poem "The Birthplace". I hope that it does not insult
his work.)
Categories:
fathered, daughter, family, history, husband,
Form:
Couplet
Wulf they called me; they called me
long ago, in track and fathered field,
muscled and thighed for the dash to kill
and share the beating blood, the quarry’s
stumbling heart
yet I have kin too, and brave the arrow
and shot you send; nay giddy lad your prey’s
yourself, in your eye’s window, and the wind of
fell and moor, bows to no man, no brother of the
cub, or sceptered raking horny club;
see tis the moment of wind, and bloody fur, that cuts
the screaming cat and rabbit to fearful death, and warms
the wormy hearth, the wulf-mother’s den; the spirit
so nourished yet rushes on, into the black minds of men.
Categories:
fathered, nature,
Form:
Free verse
I have learned lessons
And a lesson
A lesson of love
A lesson of accountability
A lesson of trust
A lesson of Prayer
A lesson of family
A lesson of silence
These lessons
And this lesson
Have I learned from you
I get each word
And hold it so strong
Maybe you thought
By teaching me all this
We would be tone apart?
No way, Instead i have learned to treasure you more
I know what it means
To live without a dad
But I now also know how sweet it is
To live with a dad
A real dad, a real father and friend
I don’t think I would be what I am now
Without you around
You have sheltered me
You have dressed me
You have fed me
You have fathered me
Tirelessly
You have showed me the way
And walked there with me
You have comforted me
Always
Even in your silence
I learn a million lessons
In you laughter
I learn trillions
In your walk
I follow your foot steps
You're the hero of my life
The man I imitate daily
The hope i hold to
The miracle of my life
I love you dad,
And I can die saying that...
I love you my dad Jim Carter
Dedicated to the most wonderful man i know on the globe
My Dad, Jim Carter.. Happy Father's day dad... You shine my life
Categories:
fathered, dad,
Form:
Blank verse
Two different lives, from different worlds, were meant to be as one
He became her guiding star, and she became his shining sun
Once they had been strangers, but love brought them together
He had never fathered children, but quadruplets called her Mother
He brought along a gentle love, and was sure enough to give it
She brought along a crazy life, and taught him how to live it!
The day arrived, when they would wed, excitement filled the air
On the fifth Yule day, they said their vows, and end to end were there......
The children, four, came through the door, to crowd the alter floor
He pulled 5 rings, a diamond gleamed, upon her finger worn
And 4 small rings, upon 4 chains, around their necks, he swore
to love them all, and make them whole, and give them all he owned
5 Yuletide Days, 5 gifts he gave,.... 5 times the love, ...and more
__________________________________________
For Shadow's Contest: 12/3/13
Categories:
fathered, love, wedding,
Form:
Free verse
An Irish Catholic immigrant,
a prideful man was he,
his ego out-weighed his bankbook,
and he hated poverty.
He fathered many children,
and most of them were sons,
the eldest son, Joe Jr.,
was always number one.
Piously he prayed for wealth,
but never worked a day,
and Satan waited patiently
for the words he knew he'd say.
He spent more time at his Irish pub,
as his malignant bitterness grew,
cursing God, cursing life,
cursing all he knew.
And, yes, those words did pass his lips,
and, lo, he did appear,
but he looked like a gentleman,
his smile seemed so sincere.
Categories:
fathered, death, politicalwords,
Form:
Rhyme
I was in my living room sitting on my couch
I've gotten up to dim the lights
Sitting back down I rub my eyes
Relax in the calm I meditate on God
Sometime wondering, in amazement
Wandering
it was dormant and quiet but in the still
my thought processed I witness
a speck in the air
It had lit by my side
I shall not kill a fly
The world is evolving around and around it goes
People trying, surviving trying to ignore
Sitting back I rub my eyes
I turn off the television, because of all the misery
Wars, terrorists, children starving
it was dormant and quiet but in the still
my thought processed I witness
a speck in the air
It had lit by my side
I shall not kill a fly
Elder abuse, child neglect
Horrible neglected children
What's your mission,
What's your vision
And why are you stealing cake out of the kitchen
it was dormant and quiet but in the still
my thought processed I witness
a speck in the air
It had lit by my side
I shall not kill a fly
I was a teen once, I married as a young adult
Fathered three children chested them when they done wrong
Never joined the military, never fought in a war
Always, always held doors open for women and girls
Sometime wondering, in amazement
Wandering
I turn off the television, because of all the misery
Wars, terrorists, children starving
What's your mission,
What's your vision
it was dormant and quiet but in the still
my thought processed I witness
a speck in the air
It had lit by my side
I shall not kill a fly
written by James Edward Lee Sr
Categories:
fathered, absence, anxiety, bereavement, caregiving,
Form:
Rhyme
American green
The tree of life gave birth to a nation and these men who helped nature
shape it. The father of our Country George Washington the 1st President.
There is Thomas Jefferson author of the Declaration of Independence.
There's ol' Abraham Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation
he enforced, and Alexander Hamilton the first Secretary of Treasury
and most famous dueler of course. What about Andrew Jackson the Indian
remover and election winner but loser, or Ulysses S. Grant victorious Union
General, boring President. Next is William McKinley Spanish-American War
winner and assassination receiver. Don't forget Grover Cleveland only man to
be elected president, then lose, then get elected again. Our third President
James Madison who fathered our Constitution and a guy named Salmon Chase
but ambition killed him. Last on this list Mr. Woodrow Wilson who brought us into
and out of World War I, that was fun...Do you yet see these men's commonality?
They are the faces of our wealth for they are all money green...
Categories:
fathered, america, money,
Form:
Free verse
wind god
was Boreas
of winter and north winds
swept down from cold northern mountains
of Thrake
he blew
cold icy gusts
of breath from bloated cheeks
hair and beard spiked with ice, wide mouth
howling
sometimes
seen as horse-shaped
purple-winged swift stallion
he swept down on mares in new spring
to sire
horses
for King of Troy
mated with Trojan mares
fathered the swift, wind-shaped stallions
for him
he found
King of Athens’
daughter, Oreithyia
by riverside meadow, playing
dancing
enthralled
by her dancing
and struck with mad desire
he abducted her to the sky
to wed
hid her
in soft white clouds
their love bore a daughter
Khione, beautiful goddess
of snow
sons, the
Boreades
chased away the Harpies
that threatened the King Phineus
of Thrake
Athens
celebrated
Boreas festivals
praised him as their god of the cold
north wind
Categories:
fathered, god, wind,
Form:
Cinquain
Is government control of humans’ birth, aging, and dying
In century 26, as practiced by a new World State;
Different from 20th century’s use of eugenics,
Which used “fitness” to determine people’s reproductive fate?
A high-tech London, where humans’ material needs are met,
Setting of Aldous Huxley’s, Brave New World, utopian tale;
Sterile world of human cloning and conditioning to castes,
Recreational soma drug and sex use on widespread scale.
In respite from his boss’ – the DHC’s – awkward confessions,
Bernard and Lenina fly to the Savage Reservation.
There they meet Linda and her young adult son, John “the Savage”,
Fathered by DHC 20 years before, on vacation.
Bernard publicly presents Linda and John to DHC,
Bringing Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning [DHC] down.
DHC flees from “sin” of involvement in natural birth.
Bernard and new celebrity, John “the Savage”, gain renown.
Finally, John rejects the soma, sex, and clones of London,
Spurns Lenina’s moves and keeps soma from “lower” Delta caste.
His retreat to do penance draws crowds and curiosity;
Leads to suicide by hanging – John’s perceived freedom at last.
This Brave New World’s parallels to eugenics cannot be lost,
Since, in both cases, the state had a hand in who lives and dies.
American Breeder’s Association, “better babies,”
Forced sterilizations – how U.S. eugenics took its guise.
Human cloning now – gene, reproductive, or therapeutic –
Raises a host of ethical, moral, and other issues.
Somatic nuclear transfer to clone human embryos
Evokes Brave New World’s ‘soma’ in copying people’s tissues.
Eugenics – legal in U.S. until 1970’s;
Its dehumanizing nature gone from society’s norms?
With current human cloning research, genetic ‘shopping’, more,
No one’s safe ‘til humankind is respected in all its forms.
4/20/17
Categories:
fathered, baby, birth, body, humanity,
Form:
Rhyme
Jesse Forbes
1893 – 1911
Black Canyon.
Now, there was a place to be!
It is true I was born a brute in a Quaker Town.
Born a bad-tempered brute of a boy
In the two-room digs on Bailey Street and Comstock..
My father fathered two other families,
Unbeknownst to his wife..
And I was the first one disowned.
But my father was a great believer,
And I loved the man like a fool.
I took up the milkin’ business at fourteen,
And made my morning way from Orange Drive down to Penn Street.
Delivering the dozens of clinking milk bottles.
Delivering the dozens of morning salutations,
To neighbors and friends in the glad and dismal days.
I had but one romantic interlude in my short stay,
Just one futile attempt at Carpe Diem.
But was left slapped and standing by a disheveled Ethel Hurst
There in the dark shade of Black Canyon
That inauspicious August day in 1910.
Ethel Hurst did not accept the entreaties of a 17 year old brute.
Did not accept my wild stares
Or my insanely puckered lips.
It was to my surprise that I died.
Died so young and so unready.
Still desiring the perfumed kisses of Ethel Hurst,
Still desiring her heart-quenching embraces,
There, in the dark shade of Black Canyon.
Categories:
fathered, death,
Form:
Epitaph
The heavens, speckled with small dots of light
Sometimes shooting as they pass through the night
Many pin pricks scattered throughout the sky
Allows spent prowess to pound way up high
I delight in the show of sparkling stars
All blasts a form shining beyond, so far
Master of the lights is the humble moon
Covers its fair share of beams like a tune
Harmony, the light of the sky exists
Coexisting with a warmth that’s betwixt
Once the sky is clear, twinkling pebbles rock
A glow so perfect, there’s never a block
The warmth of the sky comes down to the Earth
Beauty and fondness illustrates the birth…
Of the speckled tiny dotted heaven
The greatest of numbers, number seven
Fathered the smiles off of people’s faces
The light arrives and then blesses with grace
The moon escapes, brings with it all its light
Stars all align with randomness tonight
Russell Sivey
Categories:
fathered, life, moon, sky, stars,
Form:
Couplet