Today's Father

7 Comments

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  • Family

    Poem Commentary

    No matter what the father, he's needed in his family. He is the compass. He needs to be strong, else his family will be weak. This is his story:

    Today's Father

    Turn that hat around.
    Don't ya put it on the side.
    Pull up yer pants right now,
    or I'll tack 'em to yer hide.

    Ya WILL amount to somethin',
    or I'll know the reason why.
    Yer Mother didn't stand for it
    an' by God, neither will I.

    Just because she ain't around
    don't mean ya'll get away with stuff.
    Cause I'm here to tell you to yer face,
    enough is just e-nough.

    Ya'll stay in school - ya'll do yer job.
    Like yer mom wanted, bless her heart,
    yer gonna amount to something, son.
    An it's just about time ya start.

    Stand up tall, an' don't ya slouch.
    Yer word is gonna be your bond.
    Ya gotta work to succeed in life,
    'Cuz there ain't no magic wand.

    There's nothing ya can't do, ya know.
    So settle for nothin' less.
    Don't let me hear ya say ya can't,
    Cus can't don't lead to success.

    Yer gonna be better'n me
    I guar-en-tee you that
    And it all starts with the way ya stand
    And how ya wear yer hat.

    Honesty will be yer rule,
    an yer gonna drop that crowd.
    Yer gonna be a strong young man.
    Yer gonna make us proud.

    I'm not talking about yer Mom an me,
    I'm talkin about me and you.
    So let's begin today - rignt now.
    It's time to start - an' do!

    Poem Comments

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    icu2 commented on Today's Father

    02-09-2010

    What a delivery! What an amazing poet you are Stryx!!!! These need to be preserved somehow so that they last for centuries. Another favorite for me.

    Stryx

    02/09/2010

    Thank you, Anita. I haven't been writing much lately. You encourage me...

    Hampton commented on Today's Father

    01-24-2010

    WO: This is such a fantastic write. It takes one into the mind of a widowed father somewhere on the east side of New York. Great work.

    Stryx

    01/24/2010

    Thanks, Hamp - even uneducated fathers know what's needed in their sons. Glad you liked it.

    SavVySam commented on Today's Father

    01-22-2010

    From your beginning commentary through to the final lines, this poem is smart, witty, rhyming, really enjoyable and most of all, so TRUE!!! Great write Stryx!

    Stryx

    01/22/2010

    Thank you DH, We are all far from when we need to be. I appreciate you appreciation. xoox

    devaamido commented on Today's Father

    01-18-2010

    Beautiful, Stryx! Sounds a lot like my Dad with a different accent, or me with my son. We all just pray that it takes hold, don't we?

    Stryx

    01/18/2010

    Yes, indeed. Thanks for stopping by d.

    ginga commented on Today's Father

    01-16-2010

    A wonderful ode to a father and I agree with all of Dad's advice. This is a great tribute to all father;s and sons! ginga

    Stryx

    01/28/2010

    Thank you ginga [sorry it took so long to get to you] But I'm glad you enjoyed the 'man' thing.

    Poetry is not the expression of personality but an escape from personality.

    T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) American-English poet and playwright.

    Stryx’s Poems (203)

    Title Comments
    Title Comments
    THE OLD SONGS 4
    THE GATE 10
    That Christmas Mouse 7
    Often I weep... 12
    OCTOBER MOURNING 13
    We May Never Know 9
    SOUND Haiku 6
    IF YOU KNEW... 13
    Catching The Wind 11
    THE CALL 7
    It's That Time Of Year Again! 6
    The Humming bird 7
    A Warrior is Tamed 11
    Haiku Rain - and other stuff 7
    As In a Blink of an Eye 12
    ONE OF MY MOST FAVORITE THINGS... 8
    To the Porcelain God 14
    24 - 7 15
    Of Lust and Love 10
    GREEN EYES 12
    LEGACY 7
    Rockies in the Spring 8
    The Royal Drink 9
    All Rhythm and no Rhyme nor Reason 9
    DRAGON SLAYER 14
    A Thunk - or Two 11
    A Child Contemplates 7
    Who are we? Who will we become? 10
    A sound philosophy of WAR 9
    Come with me. Papa 7
    The importance of a smile 12
    The Niner 11
    Small - bent and mighty 9
    Crime and Belief 7
    What If... 6
    THE CONCORD CARRIAGE 5
    THE LAST CIGARETTE 7
    The Light 6
    FREE WILL 3
    A light moment in the sun 6
    The Inherited Gardener - 1985 7
    THE DEPTH OF LOVE 5
    To All Lost Loves 7
    An early morning full moon 9
    My Old Friend is Gone 8
    The MAZE 11
    Life and Death 12
    May This Be Me... 8
    Philosophic Haiku 4
    Ring the Bell of Freedom 2
    Have you ever thought? 5
    A childs 9 ft. square sand box 2
    Pikes Peak in Fog - Haiku 3
    Spring Haiku 11
    Touching from across the Room 8
    Reason 6
    A moments reflection 2
    16 Days 10
    Bits and Pieces of what I have [almost] learned 6
    Last Moments 10
    Pome to my Luv - Elly Mae 7
    youwereright.
    ..
    7
    A LONG STROLL 6
    The Soldier 7
    A Conundrum 5
    A New and Lasting Love 9
    I'm confused... 10
    Today's Father 7
    Colorado Haiku 7
    THE ART OF NOT LEARNING 5
    Friend and/or Lover 8
    IF YOU LOVE... 4
    Where are they? 3
    Repetition 3
    Our real progenitors 4
    BACK OFF! 3
    Historical Haiku 2
    Everything - in its own time 4
    ARE THERE TREES in the Afterlife? 4
    HUMILITY 3
    Tuesday Morning in COS 2
    Winter Haiku 2
    Goodnite - my Finnish Spitz 7
    A gift to yourself... 4
    On Giving and Receiving 5
    More Christmas Haiku 4
    What I have learned - not through accepting, but in thinking. 4
    Christmas Haiku 3
    For the Love of Polly 6
    Being a Son 3
    I wonder how many know... 3
    The Hoard 4
    Perhaps You Think 3
    Munchausen by Proxy 2
    What to believe in... 2
    Admitedly I am Conflicted 3
    Problems... 4
    Oh - I'll never forget whatsername..
    .
    5
    The Diner 6
    WHO? 5
    Out of The Fog 3
    Haiku - en mass 3
    LOVE 8
    PERSPECTIVE 7
    WHO YOU ARE [Could this be you?] 6
    Halloween Nonsense 7
    An Observation 6
    Thoughts over morning coffee... 4
    Two word poetry 4
    Perfection 3
    A Child's Fear 4
    A non-rhyming tribute 5
    What is the Perfect Poem? 5
    The Gift 3
    Harmony 2
    THE KILL 2
    The Lineage 2
    The Judges 1
    Tenderness 5
    For those who like 'Haiku' 2
    Food - Vitamins and Food 2
    THE CROSS 2
    Lasting Love 3
    Tolerance 3
    Diversity 2
    Things to Know 2
    The Difference 2
    HE (a non-devotiona
    l poem)
    3
    Sea Gulls and Crows (haiku) 1
    Life is not what you think 4
    Birth and Death 7
    Lost Love 2
    THINGS COULD GET WORSE 1
    The Parade 1
    It's a Puzzlement 4
    The symbol 1
    The Unicorn 3
    Knowledge 2
    Early snows(Haiku) 2
    Three little words 1
    It is more blessed... 1
    The Seasons 1
    The Gift 1
    A CASE FOR REASON [NOT for Believers] 0
    SPRING 1
    The Meadow 1
    Inspiration 2
    Three MORE Lines 3
    A child's Halloween 3
    Good o'l Winston 1
    The Poet? 2
    ABAFT 10
    unfinished poem 3
    The Immortal 4
    THANKSGIVING 4
    Another Three Lines... 1
    Life's Tides 2
    A Paradox 2
    Old Man 1
    THE POWER OF ONE 1
    A moment in time 2
    ECHO - A Children's Poem 2
    TRAINS RUINED MY WIFE (LIFE) 5
    RECOURSE - [A Song] 2
    I AM THE CHARACTER 2
    WISDOM 1
    A mythunderstan
    ding
    3
    TO FUTURE GENERATIONS 1
    1928 1
    CHARACTER 1
    Chicken Questions Answered 0
    WHO I AM 0
    EARTH TO MAN 1
    DOOMED 1
    THE INHERITED GARDENER [1895] 1
    O Men 1
    TO THE THOUGHTFUL 1
    TO THOSE WH REFLECT 1
    Waiting for Inspiration 9
    THE CLERICS 3
    THE ECHO 4
    PERFECTION 5
    THE RATTLER 4
    TO ALL WHO WALK 3
    Had you remained a friend 3
    ECHO 6
    Only Two Lines... 8
    TEN THOUSAND PIPES OF PEACE 8
    Only Three Lines 6
    BABBLINGS 7
    FIRST BORN 8
    Puget Sound 5
    THE LAW OF LIFE 9
    A moment in time 8
    Friend 7
    An Image of love and respect... 2
    TO THE LONELY 8
    the presence within 11
    D. O'Dell 6
    Haiku 9
    TO THE LOVED EVERYWHERE 10
    LAST DAYS 7
    Today I Saw The First Leaf Fall 18