FISH & CHIPS

By Linda Wigzell Cress

Sat, 04 May 2013
  • 4294 reads
14 comments
 

‘What did you say Dad?’
I laugh, bend closer.
‘I cannot hear –
You know I’m deaf in my right ear!’
But in truth
His voice is faint.
I shed a tear -
We both know that death is now quite near.

He whispers again
As I try to smile –
‘I just want once more for my tea
Fish and chips with all my family’.
I kiss him fondly
Smile and say:-
When you’re well your first meal will be
Fish and chips with us, just wait and see!’

Such dear last words!
I feel so sad
I feel so bad
That though I heard
His final wish
I could not even give him fish!

A year has passed
Kids round the table
All together, as he wished.
We smile as well as we are able
And hope that he is near to see
Fish and chips, with all his family.

Certificate U
Poem
POETRY
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by The Walrus on
That brought a tear to my eye, Linda.

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on
Bless you Walrus. A year since my beloved Dad's passing, fish and chips all round. A precedent set! Thanks for commenting Linda

Linda

Submitted by Esther on
I was also moved by your writing.

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on
Thanks Esther. I think I will always regret not making more effort to give him his last fish and chips. Life's like that I guess. Linda

Linda

Submitted by VeraClark on
Linda, so painfully beautiful.The things that stir us up when we've lost people. Made my heart hurt.

 

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on
Thanks Vera. I won't ever be able to eat that without thinking of him. Linda

Linda

Submitted by luigi_pagano on
Such a poignant poem, Linda, expressing the pain of losing a parent and the regret that his last wish, which meant a lot to him, had been ignored. Luigi x

 

Submitted by Geoffrey on
Wonderful stuff very emotional.

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on
Thank you very much for reading and commenting, Luigi and Geoffrey. Linda

Linda

Submitted by Denzella on
Hello Linda, Here at last. This is such a beautiful and moving poem that it brought a tear to my eyes. But I think he would have said Linda or chips! No contest. Moya
 

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on
Hello Moya, I hope you had a fantastic break with your 'movers and shakers', and are back refreshed. Thanks for your kind comment on this poem, it was an IP I couldn't resist. Look forward to reading some more of yours Linda

Linda

Submitted by karl_wiggins on
Linda, this is very moving. I knew a guy in the States, Kelly. He'd walked the high wires as a roadie for rock 'n' roll bands, back when there was no H&S. Anyway, when he got drunk and maudlin he'd often talk about his dad, who promised to take him fishing, but died before he could fulfil the promise. Kelly used to say, "He never took me fishing, man, he never took me fishing." It had obviously hit Kelly hard at a subliminal level, and alcohol brought it out. There's a lesson there, my love, isn't there?

 

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on
Hi Karl. I was just about coming out of grieving, and this IP brought it all back. But, somehow I felt better writing it down, just a week after our family fish & chip lunch on Dad's anniversary, but the actual guilt trip I think we all have as part of grieving is still with me I'm afraid. Thanks for sharing your friend's experience. One to ponder on. Linda

Linda

Submitted by The royster on
Hi Linda, That year went so fast. And your feelings have changed at all, as expected. As for the Chish & Fips, I'm sure he's forgiven you and probably enjoyed watching you stuff you face haha. Love Roy