Father’s Day Collaborative Poem
Update: June 28, 2018
What we remember about our fathers, and cherish, are memories, images and stories. Parenting is a very difficult task, and we, as children, might have different expectations of our mothers and fathers. While we associate mothers with healing and nurturing, fathers hold the image of strength, knowledge, finding solutions to problems, protection and safety. As much as I enjoyed your stories and memories of your fathers, it was also emotional to visit the place of deep feeling and relive the difficulties that they went through. I felt their absence in your lives.
_
Builders
A collaborative poem
Edited by Aniela Gregorek
In the midst of my summer play my father came from nowhere, after a long absence, offering a big smile, and a sticky chocolate melting in his hand, that hardened my little insulted heart. But the day he wept uncontrollably was the day I experienced his pain fully.I wept after my fatherdied when I was thirteen—All fathers die – for you –you might’ve been twenty- three, or thirty.I’m still thirsty for his words.I don’t remember anything specifiche said or did, and you might not too,but he touched my life and othersin so doing I feel he gave mean example to follow. Is it the same for you?Do you still miss him? I certainly do.His soccer lessons, maybe a violin for you,or baking. His passion, determination, thinkingout of the box: once he used cement to fixsomething in our car, because we couldn’tafford a mechanic. That’s what fathers do, like my friend’s who on the spot patched a hole in their birdcage with a banana – which made them laugh, and it still does. Later in life I understoodhe had been my daily oxygen, my small staircase he built outside my house, even when he was no longer able to stand. I wish one day that I, or maybe others,could write a book How to Build Anything, with his down-to-earth foreword: Never give up, he always told me and believe in yourself.
Collaborated by:
Aniela Gregorek
SheilaShamanAJTon van den BreakerArlene RubioSandy Cold ShaperoHal Montford
Hello everyone,Here is another occasion to create a collective poem, this time to celebrate our fathers.
Others poems in our Collaborative THB Poetry Series:
The Prompt
“It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.”
– Anne Sexton
Pick a vivid memory, a situation involving your father that in some way changed you, or gave you an insight or break through. It can be positive or negative memory. You don’t even have to write about your own father; feel free to choose a father figure who took part in your life.
Here are the first two lines to get us started:
“Father’s Day Collaborative Poem”In the midst of my summer play you came from nowhere, after a long absence offeringa big smile, and a sticky chocolate melting in your hand, that hardened my little insulted heart.
Please add your line(s) in the comments below.
- 1Add your line & name to the poem in the comments below
- 2Share this page with friends and family
- 3Check back and watch the poem grow
Thank you for participating!
The day my Father wept uncontrollably was the day I experienced his pain fully
My dad carried his love of playing music his whole life. He worked hard to support us but played as much as he could. After he retired, he played full time and became quite successful. I admired his passion.
His example taught me determination and to think out of the box-Once he used cement to fix something in our car that he couldn’t afford to send to the mechanic. Later in life while on oxygen 24/7 he built a small staircase outside my house. It took him a really long time due to having to rest so often, but he finished them. He used to joke that he was going to write a book on how to build stairs sitting down.
Arlene, your father sounds like a wonderful man. And very similar to Jerzy – I wrote one story in I Got This about how “inventive” he can be on a spot. Our daughter noticed a big space in between the wires of a birdcage (the birds had some work to do) and pointed out that they can fly out through it. He looked around picked a banana and stack it in the hole. It became one of these funny, family stories. Thank you for sharing your story.
Aniela
My father passed away already 18 years ago but I still miss him.He taught me to play soccer and always supported me.I wish I could talk to him once more about sports.Never give up he always told me and believe in yourself.
Great message from your father Ton! I’m sure it must help to remember his words in the lowest moments in life and rise above the difficulties with new energy.
Aniela
I do the 5 minute journal each morning and evening before bed . I do a version of the 18 exercises in the Happy Body book every other day but looking to do it everyday , I also surf every other day as well .
I really enjoy doing the Happy body exercises and it’s only making me a more fit and better surfer . I also love journaling and the 5 minute journal is genius .
Your above article inspires me to get back into writing poetry and automatic texts . Thanks to Tim Ferriss for telling me about you !
My father died when I was 13. I don’t remember anything he said or told me, however its from his example that I “feel” I have learnt a lot. I have never felt like my time with him was not enough. Even 23 years after his passing I find myself learning from the stories that people who knew him tell me, and some of these people I don’t know personally. Hence what they tell me gives them internal warmth knowing that the son is listening. That how I know he touched their lives and in so doing gave me an example to follow.
I will never forget the feel of my fathers delight in me , over the simplist things!