For my daughter

[PrinceMyshkin]

whenever she might happen to see this

If I were to look inside
at the wristwatch in my heart,
if I were to look inside
and say: ‘It’s time for us to love each other,’

I’m afraid she might reply,
“But, Dad,
we haven’t synchronized our watches.”

[Virgil]

Nice. It seems to beg for more, but perhaps that's enough. :)

[PrinceMyshkin]

Nice. It seems to beg for more, but perhaps that's enough. :)

Astute comment, since the "more" would have to come from the daughter who maintains a sort of civil distance from me, which breaks my heart every time I think about it. Thanks

[hillwalker]

I wonder if she ever will get to see this.

It's a sentimental poem but very touching - and I admired the 'wristwatch in my heart' phrase.

Perhaps ‘It’s time for us to love each other,’ is a little too demanding and judgemental - you are the best judge of that. But the theme of 'time' as a healer is apt.

H

[PrinceMyshkin]

I wonder if she ever will get to see this.

It's a sentimental poem but very touching - and I admired the 'wristwatch in my heart' phrase.

Perhaps ‘It’s time for us to love each other,’ is a little too demanding and judgemental - you are the best judge of that. But the theme of 'time' as a healer is apt.

H

Of course you've hit the nail on the head (in your last couple of sentences) not only of the poem but of the situation itself: as her father, I believe it is my job NOT to make demands on her love for me; out of her experience of the history of our relationship, she may sense a demand any time so much as I direct my eyes in her direction...

It is sadly a folie a deux.

Thank you for both the clarity of your vision and your candour in expressing it.

[Haunted]

The watch metaphor is spot on. It's also implies that it's too late for reconciliation, which adds to the poignancy of a a relationship that probably can't be mended.

[Delta40]

Spot on Prince. My Father and I were never synchronized. One day, his watch stopped.

very poignant.

[PrinceMyshkin]

The watch metaphor is spot on. It's also implies that it's too late for reconciliation, which adds to the poignancy of a a relationship that probably can't be mended.

If there is indeed that implication, I wish I could take it back.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Spot on Prince. My Father and I were never synchronized. One day, his watch stopped.

very poignant.

How vividly you've applied my metaphor - and how sadly! God pity all the fathers and mothers, the sons and daughters who missed out on what they might have meant to each other!

After a full-hearted exchange with my #1 son, himself a poet, he concluded his message to me with


What a gift we are to each other!

Of course I relished that he thought I was a gift to him but even more, much more, that he knew and could attest what a gift he was (and is) to me!

[Delta40]

How vividly you've applied my metaphor - and how sadly! God pity all the fathers and mothers, the sons and daughters who missed out on what they might have meant to each other!

After a full-hearted exchange with my #1 son, himself a poet, he concluded his message to me with


What a gift we are to each other!

Of course I relished that he thought I was a gift to him but even more, much more, that he knew and could attest what a gift he was (and is) to me!

Tragically, it takes the loss of a loved one to realise what a gift we were to each other. Beautifully, other relationships can flourish because of it.

[Jerrybaldy]

You had me at the title ..

[Haunted]

If there is indeed that implication, I wish I could take it back.

oh no Prince, I take it back, there's still time!

[PrinceMyshkin]

oh no Prince, I take it back, there's still time!

Apparently you were right to take it back, because after I sent this to her I got a friendly email in return, albeit in response to an earlier one I had sent her.

[hoope]

I am going to see my father after 16 years of departure.. And he is quite sick.. i don't know if there is still time for us to love eachother..

Prince ! this poem though short but very touching .. well written !

[PrinceMyshkin]

I am going to see my father after 16 years of departure.. And he is quite sick.. i don't know if there is still time for us to love eachother..

Oh, this is such an important occasion - for both of you!!! I remember hearing that my mother had gone into hospital. Before I flew to visit with her, someone advised me to treat the occasion as if it might be my last chance to say anything I'd previously left unsaid. On the flight back I reviewed all the reasons I had to be angry with her, until the thought occurred to me: She was an old woman, lying in what might be her deathbed. Furthermore, she'd come to Canada from Europe and had never finished high-school. She didn't speak the psychological mumbo-jumbo that I did... so, as soon as I was alone with her, I said:

"Mom, I want to thank you for everything that you and Dad did for me. I may not have expressed my appreciation at the time, but I do feel it..."

She was silent. The stay in hospital turned out to be a false alarm, and I returned home. Not long after that, she went back to the hospital and I flew back to see her again. As soon as we were alone together, she said:

"The last time you were here, you mentioned what Dad and I did for you, but I don't think we did as much as you did for us..."

And she mentioned a couple of occasions - one of which I had altogether forgotten - when I had been helpful to them.

We were silent for a while after that; silent and more at peace with each other than we had ever been.

[hoope]

Oh, this is such an important occasion - for both of you!!! I remember hearing that my mother had gone into hospital. Before I flew to visit with her, someone advised me to treat the occasion as if it might be my last chance to say anything I'd previously left unsaid. On the flight back I reviewed all the reasons I had to be angry with her, until the thought occurred to me: She was an old woman, lying in what might be her deathbed. Furthermore, she'd come to Canada from Europe and had never finished high-school. She didn't speak the psychological mumbo-jumbo that I did... so, as soon as I was alone with her, I said:

"Mom, I want to thank you for everything that you and Dad did for me. I may not have expressed my appreciation at the time, but I do feel it..."

She was silent. The stay in hospital turned out to be a false alarm, and I returned home. Not long after that, she went back to the hospital and I flew back to see her again. As soon as we were alone together, she said:

"The last time you were here, you mentioned what Dad and I did for you, but I don't think we did as much as you did for us..."

And she mentioned a couple of occasions - one of which I had altogether forgotten - when I had been helpful to them.

We were silent for a while after that; silent and more at peace with each other than we had ever been.

Oh ! I wish if i can get a chance to tell him everythign in my heart.. Before i use to say i would be mad at him for leaving us.. and i have one question in my mind which was Did you ever loved me ? Why the hell you left me when i most needed you ?

But now as i am 23.. i forgot about all that .. i just wanna tell him that i love you .. though everytime i talk to him through the phone i tell him so . For no reason and in teh mid of the talk i just say " Dad i love you ".

I guess that everyone of us wouldn't wish to let his parent die away from him not i want them to die without getting the chance to tell them whats in my heart. One feels much better when they them whats in their heart. Though i ever dared to tell mom whats in my heart about dad , she don't like him.. and we never share much .

Thanks alot Prince for telling me this , it made me think twice of what i want to tell dad when i meet him .

[PrinceMyshkin]

Oh ! I wish if i can get a chance to tell him everythign in my heart.. Before i use to say i would be mad at him for leaving us.. and i have one question in my mind which was Did you ever loved me ? Why the hell you left me when i most needed you ?

But now as i am 23.. i forgot about all that .. i just wanna tell him that i love you .. though everytime i talk to him through the phone i tell him so . For no reason and in teh mid of the talk i just say " Dad i love you ".

I guess that every one of us wouldn't wish to let his parent die away from him not i want them to die without getting the chance to tell them whats in my heart. One feels much better when they them whats in their heart. Though i ever dared to tell mom whats in my heart about dad , she don't like him.. and we never share much .

Thanks alot Prince for telling me this , it made me think twice of what i want to tell dad when i meet him .

I suspect that there are a lot of us who feel the way you just posted. You will have my good wishes as you go for this encounter with your father. Bear in mind that for men in general and maybe especially for me of your father's generation, it is hard to express our softer feelings, particularly if we have not had the experience of doing so.

But "Why the hell you left me when i most needed you ? " is not good strategy for allowing someone to explain himself, and hopefully to apologize

[Delta40]

I am going to see my father after 16 years of departure.. And he is quite sick.. i don't know if there is still time for us to love eachother..

Prince ! this poem though short but very touching .. well written !

Love doesn't have a deadline. I had not seen my father in 12 years but every drop of love I ever had for him was there when I saw him. Time does not change everything

(((hugs))))

[hoope]

I suspect that there are a lot of us who feel the way you just posted. You will have my good wishes as you go for this encounter with your father. Bear in mind that for men in general and maybe especially for me of your father's generation, it is hard to express our softer feelings, particularly if we have not had the experience of doing so.

But "Why the hell you left me when i most needed you ? " is not good strategy for allowing someone to explain himself, and hopefully to apologize

Comman Prince ! I wanted to ask that when i was 12 .. not now!!! .. i want to make a good start , and as you said this won't allow him to explain himself..
However i am not planning to open the past though its still there .. i wil just focus in being with him every moment that we have to share with eachother and ofcourse in taking care of his health.


Love doesn't have a deadline. I had not seen my father in 12 years but every drop of love I ever had for him was there when I saw him. Time does not change everything

(((hugs))))

Delta ! Time never changed that i loved him but i don't know how it would go ..

Have anyone listened to a SONG FOR DAD .. for Keith Urban it always makes me cry . Coz i look like my dad alot ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0QGJTdl7-0

Anyway .. am sorry if this post went far of its purpose .. We shoudl comment on the poem . Am sorry Prince .

[PrinceMyshkin]

Anyway .. am sorry if this post went far of its purpose .. We shoudl comment on the poem . Am sorry Prince .

But you DO comment on my poem by the heartfelt way you've responded to it.

[Delta40]

[QUOTE=hoope;971184]
Delta ! Time never changed that i loved him but i don't know how it would go ..

QUOTE]

Balance the time you need to speculate on this vs the odds of such an opportunity of finding out passing you by.

[tailor STATELY]

Very touching. Evocative.
(I'd write more but my heart would burst.)