Nicholas Gordon

Heads or Tails: Pantoums



Posted: Wednesday, September 21, 2011

by Nicholas Gordon
http://www.poemsforfree.com

I HATE YOU, DAD, FOR WHAT YOU DID

I hate you, Dad, for what you did
To me when I was just a child,
A helpless thing whom you could beat
Until the excess bile was drained.

To me, when I was just a child,
You were God unmerciful
Until the excess bile was drained
And you were once again my friend.

You were God unmerciful,
And I was Satan, Lord of Hell,
Until you were again my friend
And curdled my last drops of love.

And I was Satan, Lord of Hell,
A helpless thing whom you could beat
Until you curdled all my love.
I hate you, Dad, for what you did.

EVERY TIME I SEE MY PANSIES

Every time I see my pansies
Vivid in the golden sun,
You are with me in my garden,
And I am once again a child.

Vivid in the golden sun,
Their beauty brings me close to tears,
And I am once again a child
Learning to assume your grace.

Their beauty brings me close to tears
As I join hands with you in love,
Learning to assume your grace,
Dancing to your inner music.

As I join hands with you in love,
You are with me in my garden,
Dancing to your inner music
Every time I see my pansies.

EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT I BLESS MY CHILDREN

Every Friday night I bless my children.
I put my hands upon their inclined heads
And say the words my father said to me:
"May God shine His countenance on you."

I put my hands upon their inclined heads,
Chanting with a pure, intense delight.
"May God shine His countenance on you,"
I pray as though my love might make it so.

Chanting with a pure, intense delight,
Each week I play this part with equal joy.
I pray as though my love might make it so,
That God might live with them as He with me.

Each week I play this part with equal joy,
And say the words my father said to me,
That God might live with them as he with me
Every Friday night I bless my children.
Nicholas Gordon is a poet and the webmaster of the popular poetry site, Poems for Free, at http://www.poemsforfree.com. He holds a Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Stanford University. For most of his working life, he taught English at New Jersey City University, in Jersey City, NJ.
Heads & Tails
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