* The Old Man (November 2004)

The Old Man sits and reflects
On all his life's many neglects
He sits and wonders as the seasons go
If his life might be different
over might have dones
He ponders quietly for a while
Little Children he once made smile
And how they never call or write
Dropped out of touch with The Old Man's life
In the house all seems swell
The perfect illusion his wife loves well
And all the heartache is never seen
by friends, neighbors, or family
Now grown children
don't call home
don't write ever
and he doesn't know
what exactly it is he did
to irrevocably estrange his kids
He didn't know about
what his wife had done
to drive off his daughter
and his son
She made it clear
to both of his seed
they had no right to voice their needs
to ask for money, help, or deeds
Those things were hers as much as his
how dare they ask
for the toil of her work
or the fruits of labor father did for her
But it was intangible
things they sought
A father's love
his staunch support
Yet because there was
a driving wedge
they dared not
even ask for that
The Old Man sits
with his regrets
things he wanted
but did not get
His gloried hour in the sun
A time he shared with only one
EMPTY
of daughter
DEVOID
of son................


( Can life be filled by only one?)