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Mark Toney Oct 2019
“Take care of yourself first.”
That’s what we told my mama
When my daddy had his strokes.
Seven long years by his side,
Caring for his body, paralyzed.
Fearing for her health we said:
“You can’t take care of daddy
Till you care for yourself first.”
That’s what we told my mama,
Until my daddy died in 1985.

“Take care of yourself first.”
That’s what I told my wife
When her mom’s simple operation
Became a septic laceration.
As she tirelessly cared for mom
I feared for her well-being.
“You can’t take care of mom
Till you care for yourself first.”
That’s what I told my wife,
Until her mom passed on in 2011.

“Take care of yourself first.”
That’s what my wife told me
As my mama slowly wasted away,
Physically, mentally, emotionally.
And we willingly provided the
Loving care that she deserved.
“You can’t take care of mama
Till you care for yourself first.”
That’s what my wife told me,
Until my mama left the scene in 2015.

Take care of yourself first
When you experience the worst,
For if you fall apart, for certain
You’ll be someone else’s burden.
7/25/2018 - Poetry form: Free Verse - Sometimes we can be so busy being someone else's anchor that we don't realize we're slowly drowning. Always take care of yourself first! - Copyright © Mark Toney | Year Posted 2018
Ciel Oct 2019
I feel a sharp pain in my chest;
A numb pain.
I gasp for air that seems to not be there.
I let out a scream,
But I cannot hear a thing.
My vision gets blurry.
I cannot think.
Silence. Cold. Numbness.
Has the pain disappeared?
Has the world stopped?

Papa,
Are you there?
Can you hear my voice?
Can you feel my pain?
Do you see my tears late at night
As I reminisce our times together?

Papa,
Please tell me why.
Why did you have to leave me?
Why am I not able to feel anymore?
Why is the world still spinning?
Am I the only one whose heart is chained?

Papa,
How I wish you were still here
To answer all my questions,
To guide me through this labyrinth that is life.
Two summers ago,
you went back home.
You are now at peace but
I would give the world to have more time with you
An hour, a minute, or even a second.
Just enough time for a hug, a kiss,
an ultimate “je t’aime” and a last “bonne nuit”.

Papa,
You were my first and eternal love.
My teacher, mentor and kindest critic.
You have always been my guardian angel.
From you, I learned to walk, swim and dance
But the greatest lesson you ever taught me
Was to forgive others and believe in myself.
You held my hand as I took my first steps,
Taught me to use my brain instead of my fists.
Your intelligence, faith and dedication
Were often the source of my admiration.
You dimmed me “Queen of my heart”,
And no one shall ever take that title away from me.
My conviction and passion,
My two most prized qualities,
Are nothing but a reflection
Of your great education.

Papa,
Although my heart aches,
my mind is at ease
knowing that you are finally free.
A few months from now,
I will be starting a new chapter of my life.
One that terrifies me,
But I know you are by my side.
I hope that when you look down upon me,
All you feel is pride.
I cannot deny the pain I feel
But the joy of your memory is far greater.
I have found myself doubting my faith lately,
But for the sake of potentially seeing you again ,
I am willing to believe.
GD Oct 2019
Silent, black, a starless night
“Son, there is something wrong with your dad!”
I’ve never jumped up from
a deep sleep so fast
running into my parents’ room,
I leap onto the bed
Dad’s body shaking,
Mouth foaming,
His eyes like glass
His eyes pleading for help
His eyes begging for comfort
His eyes  
Silent, black, a starless night
Burned into my brain forever
Randy Johnson Oct 2019
72
When it came to my existence, you and Mom were my creators.
But Mom died in March of 2013 and you died four months later.
When you died, you joined Mom in Heaven.
You were brought into this world 72 years ago today in 1947.
But I'm sorry to have to say that you and Mom aren't with us anymore.
I didn't want to believe it when the doctor said that you were done for.
I remember thinking that now I have no parents on the night when you died.
You were born 72 years ago today but your life ended in 2013 on the 13th of July.
DEDICATED TO CHARLES F. JOHNSON (1947-2013) WHO DIED ON JULY 13, 2013.
Soumia Oct 2019
Help me,
I'm crying myself to sleep
I think of you before I go to bed.

It makes me sad that your not around anymore.
20 years have passed, but I still feel the emptiness.

Help me, please
Soumia Oct 2019
No eyes can see my tears,
no ears can hear me crying,
all I have is you but where have you gone?
Just Ty Oct 2019
Is it just me or maybe it’s that I am just a different breed
For there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do when it comes to my seed
I would walk the distance just to be able to put food on the table
I go by many different names but bad father isn’t one of those labels
I don’t understand how parents are ok with just getting by
Because I would do anything for my kids to touch the sky
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they are doing all that they can
But perception is reality so you have to understand,
Where I am coming from for Im not trying to be the bad guy
I am just asking the questions that we all want to know; why?
Why is it that you have enough money for your drugs
While your children’s stomach is the only thing they’ll hug
These children are walking around with holes in their shoes
All while every Friday night your cabinets are stocked with *****
Isn’t it annoying to see all these dead beat
dads
But dead beat mothers isn’t a conversation to be had
Doing more than what we are doing for our children is my only wish
Because they are the victims here for they didn’t ask for any of this
The consequences of your actions
Are a burden I suppose I asked for
When I agreed to belong to you
When I offered you sanctuary in my arms

Yet tonight - they are so heavy
And I no longer wish to carry them
My legs are so tired darling
Please just admit that you were wrong

My legs are so tired darling
Break the generational chain that binds us to this nonsense.
livianna Oct 2019
I hear him mention that my greatness is that of a family name
and in that moment I understand I am nothing but a legacy.

And my tears are the vines that climb the deck
and put out his cigarette

and my memories create a storm
and dilate his ***** 'till it is water

-it takes time to see your true magic
My father relates success to my family line. It is meant to be a joke but the narcissism still lies. It leaves an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.
Zywa Oct 2019
Dad, you know where it hurts
although you weren't there
You always ask exactly

for something important that
others didn't miss
in my story, an aside

of the path, a depth
I told around
feelings that I avoid

because they itch in my head
and scars that I keep covered
You understand it all

already before I tell you
and you say the words
that embrace me

and upset me
with sorrow, confused
with this happiness
Collection "The light of words"
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