All at Sea

cafftee on Sep 24, 2009

Tags: alone at the helm, children, forgiveness, future, lost at sea, storm, Unanswered Questions

I guess bad days can be good for poetry…

A morass of unanswered questions

swirl and eddy, blinding mist.

The way ahead is blurred, uncertain

plans slipping through my fist.

At the helm I stand alone,

no one to guide or reassure.

Frightened and exhausted;

not sure I’m coping anymore.

There’s no one to appreciate

I strive to keep us all afloat.

How I wish, just for a little while

someone else could steer the boat

But you are still so little

how can you see or understand?

The helm’s a lonely place

even though you hold my hand.

The mornings that I screamed at you

and sent you sad to school;

bewildered looks upon your faces.

They break my heart in two.

I’m so sorry life’s not perfect,

waters always calm and blue.

Sometimes storms can overwhelm me

though I try so hard for you.

One day, when you are older,

perhaps you’ll read this and you’ll see.

None of it was your fault,

not your failure, only me.

And I hope, because I love you

I can keep us all on course.

Please forgive me when I founder

or I’ll be lost in this remorse.

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Comments (10)

Katie Marie on Sep 24, 2009
Someday when they’re a parent they’ll understand but in the meantime it is good and right for mom’s to apologize and ask forgiveness of their children when we need to. And your love will always shine through more than any perceived failures on your part. Hang in there. I know it’s a tough job to do on your own.
BullwinkleMuse on Sep 24, 2009
This is such a poignant, touching gaze into the burdens of parenting. Wonderful write, cafftee.
oldster on Sep 26, 2009
Lovely stuff–Caff.
It’s such a tough job—Someone’s got to do it.
XXElleXX on Sep 27, 2009
This poem was a solid and steady reminder of the connection between mother and child(ren). Beautiful imagery used here too Caftee..a mothers love is eternal and infinite..like the sea..and the sea also generates life. The boat for me symbolises adventure..a journey..loved this Cafftee
hallofwords on Sep 30, 2009
Very nice. I, too loved the symbolism of the boat and having worked on a shrimp boat I also like the way you captured the adventure and the hard work involved.
Vikram Chhabra on Sep 30, 2009
Very nicely worded piece. It made me feel the confusion and struggle a parent has to go through…
fragile18 on Oct 7, 2009
wow, it is very touching, especially for a daughter/son.
Svetlana Cherevik on Nov 15, 2009
what a great poem!
brianberu on Nov 27, 2009
What a lovely poem, one that could have been written by a loving, caring parent, indeed the helm can be a lonely place, but also so rewarding when you reach the shore
miraj on Dec 5, 2009
you captured the essence of a mother by beautiful imageries,
making it very poignant.

All at Sea

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