A Parable Without Anwers (new title)

[Ken_Nye]

A PARABLE WITHOUT ANSWERS

Sometime this spring I will be gifted with the birth
of my first grandson.
I'm hopeful that my health will last long enough
into the future
for us to have some good conversations.

Actually, I'm not much of a conversationalist,
but I expect he's going to have questions
to ask me,
so I'm working on the answers.

But the answers are slow in coming.

When he sees a man speak angrily to his dog
and then lash out with his foot and kick him,
my little grandson is going to be upset and
he's going to say something like,
"Granddad, why did that man do that?"

When he's in a playground and
he sees a group of small boys teasing and bullying a little boy
until he cries,
he's going to be upset and he's going to say something like,
"Granddad, why did those boys make that other boy cry?"

When we leave the television on when he's visiting
and he sees a documentary about the genocide in Kenya,
he's going to be upset, and he's going to say something like
"Granddad, why did those people kill those other people?"

When he sees programs or news stories
on the degradation of the environment,
he's going to worry about the condition of the world when he is an old man,
and he's going to say something to me like,
"Granddad, will I be able to swim in the lake when
I'm an old man like you?
Will there still be beautiful places where
you and I can go for hikes?
Will we still be able to throw the ball into the river
and watch the dogs go get it?

I'm working on the answers,
but it's tough.

[David Nelson Bradsher]

Keep working, Ken. Those answers won't come easy. As always, I enjoy your musings and philosophies. They are as comfortable to me as my favorite Beds, Bath and Beyond blanket. Hmm...maybe I shouldn't disclose that I have a favorite blanket. Maggie will pick on me.

[MichaelFirewalker]

David----the little boy in you, who is most lovable, should have a favorite blanket, and Maggie will not pick on you because she understands that...

Ken----the gentle grief I feel in your awareness of all the legacy that has been lost is profound, and worthy, and wonderfully expressed----whatever you do, make sure your grandson is given a book or journal of your writing...he will treasure it all his years...


michael

[Vasile Baghiu]

This kinds of poems generally tends to become a bit – how to say? - moralistic with regard the bad way nowadays world evolves, which might decrease the lyricism and the poetic effect, but you know to keep the balance, Ken, and this is one of your special poetic talents. It’s wonderful how you succeed in working with these themes. I think that your honest attitude could be an explanation, but I know that there is also the very natural sense of poetry that you have. Good work!
Vasile

[alfredo]

Its not quite the same but...

The Lake

At some windless interlude
when the insects skitter along,
when the lake reflects below,
precisely what’s above.
And what’s above,
is reaching trees of green.

Below the dark pool,
fish lurk, dart and wait.
And when insects descend,
they rise,
with an open-mouthed flash,
to disappear again.
Ripples, radiate, slap then lap
at the edge until they’re done.

An autumnal leaf floats
to take its place on the lake
and its red shadow
startle fish that lay beneath.

Now the breeze sweeps grey
about the south
and the left over glassy half
reflects only part.

[Ron Wallace (Scotshawk)]

You know I like this, but I feel the need to say it again. I was particularly struck by Vasile's comments. He hit the nail right on the head. Your honest voice carries your work and avoids the well-walked path that others follow so frequently. Just plain good stuff. Ron

[alfredo]

Both Ron and V are on target, of course,

the power of simple parable

I've encountered before somewhere? When will I ever learn?