Once (a poem by my my father)
Letters from Pops…
(A poem from my incarcerated father about me coming to visit him.)
….
Once
Once I saw a young man’s face
He came to see me in this place.
He had many questions in his heart
So we began at the start.
Why did I walk away?
Why did I not stay to watch him grow and play?
Life is funny I’ve come to see.
My son came to prison to visit me.
When he left it broke my heart
I knew it would right from the start.
Some things are better left alone, I know that now that he is gone.
I know I’ll probably never see him again.
I hope in my soul, I’ve made some amends.
Though we’ll never be the best of friends
I’ll love you my son, til the very end.
…
By Pendarvis L. Harshaw
For Pendarvis L.A. Harshaw
September 20, 2012 at 11:34 am
Pen…
I think the Poem from your Father explains so much.
Ofcourse he Loves you. I’m sure that he was very ashamed of himself and his predicament when you came to visit him (as probably majority of Incarcerated Men do). He didn’t want you to see him there and/or in that position in his life.
As you well know, probably before you arrived, and certainly after your departure, he has had countless hours thinking about ‘what could have been, what should have been’ and is Not…from your Mother and his Relationship, as well as being an ‘Absent Father’ from your life.
I’m glad that he has communicated with you via his Poem. You can not go back and retrieve the ‘lost time apart’ from one another, over the years. However, the Poem speaks volumnes, I’m sure, and hopefully helps to ‘Heal’ you as a Son, as well as a Black Man.
Maybe you can Visit him again…and continue to help mend ‘two broken hearts.
Stay Strong and Positive. You’re a Good Young Man…Pendarvis Harshaw. You have Much Untapped Intelligence, Talent, Skills and Compassion.
September 21, 2012 at 2:09 am
He says an awful lot in a few words….sounds like now he needs you..
September 26, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Wow Dru.. That poem speaks volumes.. I know there may be a lot more that you may want to know.. Hopefully reading between the lines of What your father wrote can bring solace to your solu. Love you Best Friend.. And like I always say and always mean, I am real proud of you and happy I am blessed to call you my bff.. Peace..