My Father's House

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Thu, 04 Feb 2016
  • 2066 reads
6 comments
 
Many rooms you and I have slept in;
the first one in my father’s house –
his South London, council maisonette...
the one you often left at three in the morning,
as you crept downstairs to the hall; my dad
always found you out though.
 
The one in Pont Saint Pierre – with a bath,
a bidet, but no loo, with toile de joie
adorning not only the walls, but wardrobes
and ceilings, as we lay in bed, gazed
through an open skylight – face to face
with a hatchery of newborn stars.
 
The room without a view in Madrid
and the one with...in Dubai – the posh one
with a phone in the bathroom, and to boot,
a four-poster bed, when I rung my dad
to boast to him...on the tip of my tongue
to say could I speak to Mum...stupidly, 
foolishly, almost forgetting she’d passed on...
six months ago...
 
and I confessed to you, and you held me,
close; made a butterfly shadow on the wall
with your hands to cheer me up.  I said
it looked more like an angel, one of the ones
sent to us to remind us to visit Him in church
more often, and that Sunday we did;
 
such is His room. But the years have flown
and the last one, other than this, in this tiny
chalet bungalow, will be outside in its shadow,
where grows the bitter rue, and the sweet,
rosa rugosa, warmed by the sun, cooled
by night’s sweet rain, and a daffodil dawn,
forever, hopelessly yellow. 
Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Spiritual
Love

Comments

Submitted by VeraClark on

The house concept coupled with the confessional narrator makes for a seemingly light recollection yet each house carries more emotional weight through to that penultimate stanza. Interestingly, I think you can get two very different settings and themes to this piece depending on your religious beliefs. It's really powerful, either way.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thank you, so very much, Vera, for looking at this in such depth, and sharing your thoughts.  More than gratiifying.

Tina

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I found this poem very moving Tina. To look back on sweet memories and share them in such a poetic way. Each line giving those moments a flow of thought that are so nice to share with others.

A rare beauty.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

...as such, your lovely comment, Jenny.  Thank you.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

I found this very moving - especially the yellow remaining so stubbornly cheerful. Appropriate finish. 

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Bee...as ever you saw right through to the heart of this poemsmiley  Yellow - it shall be.

Tina