"A Tragic Travail"
By Joseph Ridgway
Oh, where have you been, my darling young one?
— Bob Dylan
The ocean was you. I remember it when —
silver was our vista. The time was then.
Sand exposed our footprints; it was just you and I,
father and daughter, beneath an argentine sky.
The bliss of a child, the parent as well —
the shadow approaching, we couldn’t foretell.
Today is now here — holding my breath —
leaning to kiss you — in your face I see death.
Quitting the page — closing the book —
who am I fooling? In the mirror I look.
Swallow our guilt — suffer no blame —
no judgement to render upon addiction untamed.
An improbable hope, a dubious wish —
unchaining yourself, and me, with your kiss.
Holding your daughters, cloaked in amiss —
an unspoken lesson: Life’s companion is risk.
They possess their tomorrows with promise anew, and
your unfulfilled wish: their dreams to come true.
Many to love them — but none to replace
you, ever present, beheld in each face.
Time through my fingers, like water from a jar —
contain it I couldn’t, looking back from afar.
Life’s purpose I ponder — an alibi for the now and here?
Tomorrow’s enigma — I miss you my dear.
— Bob Dylan
The ocean was you. I remember it when —
silver was our vista. The time was then.
Sand exposed our footprints; it was just you and I,
father and daughter, beneath an argentine sky.
The bliss of a child, the parent as well —
the shadow approaching, we couldn’t foretell.
Today is now here — holding my breath —
leaning to kiss you — in your face I see death.
Quitting the page — closing the book —
who am I fooling? In the mirror I look.
Swallow our guilt — suffer no blame —
no judgement to render upon addiction untamed.
An improbable hope, a dubious wish —
unchaining yourself, and me, with your kiss.
Holding your daughters, cloaked in amiss —
an unspoken lesson: Life’s companion is risk.
They possess their tomorrows with promise anew, and
your unfulfilled wish: their dreams to come true.
Many to love them — but none to replace
you, ever present, beheld in each face.
Time through my fingers, like water from a jar —
contain it I couldn’t, looking back from afar.
Life’s purpose I ponder — an alibi for the now and here?
Tomorrow’s enigma — I miss you my dear.
Author’s Note:
This poem explores my love and anguish surrounding my relationships with my heroin addicted daughter and her two daughters (my granddaughters). This poem was initially published in print by “SAMSARA MAGAZINE” Issue #22, SPRING 2020.
This poem explores my love and anguish surrounding my relationships with my heroin addicted daughter and her two daughters (my granddaughters). This poem was initially published in print by “SAMSARA MAGAZINE” Issue #22, SPRING 2020.