Raspberry Tea and Empathy
She sipped her cup of hot raspberry tea
Jumbled thoughts bounced in her head
Staring at a ceramic bowl of potpourri
Would this be another day to dread?
Why did her husband have to die?
First Iraq, then two tours in Afghanistan
She is no longer able to cry
This wasn't in their life plan
She knows she still has it good
He always thought of her first
Enlisted to provide a livelihood
Lived and loved it; went fully immersed
Each day morphed into the next
Now a year has came and gone
She still clings to his personal effects
Her grandfather died near Saigon
Her grandma always seemed lost
Having no body to bury was the worst
The wall has his name embossed
He'd be seventy on the twenty-first
It's nearly 12: 30 and there is the phone
Chaplin wants her to accompany him
Talk with a new widow so she won't feel alone
She always goes when the news is grim
The military price her family has paid is high
Her grandfather and husband would be pleased
Genuine empathy for others is in short supply
War is the most terrible thing man ever conceived
poem by Charles Hancock
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Related quotes
Father Freak (1) (Took Son's Wife And Killed Son's Daughter)
A 4-year-old daughter was murdered,
by a 45-year-old grandfather,
who had a love affair with his daughter-in-law,
who is a 23-year-old woman whose husband's heart got gnawed.
The husband found out the affair and had their marriage got undone.
The grandfather did'nt have any consideration for his son.
He admitted beating the grand-daughter to death,
stuffing his body into a suitcase and throwing into the river bed.
Murder occured in May, about 3 months ago.
3 weeks ago, her great grandmother contacted Authority for her no-
show.
Then the disappearance brought to police attention.
How could they commit a crime full of sins?
They have children of their own,
but about parental love they have never known.
The father not only robbed his son of his wife,
but also put an end to his grand-daughter's life.
There are actually some bad fathers,
who could be compared to freak Monster.
The Personal Trainer
husband
didn't pay attention when she started to change her look,
after all, she'd been saying how she wanted to for a while &
it seemed to make sense,
what with her going back to the gym full time,
after a period of time away
when they first had been married-
husband just went about his days
working more hours than he knew what to do with,
business was good &
with all the business around him seeming to fail,
he'd been putting away for the life he imagined in the future,
with or without
her-
but her time spent at the gym seemed to increase &
thought her body began to get trimmer, sexier, tighter, stronger &
she seemed to walk around the house with a new zest for life
(when he was there to see her) ,
he still didn't notice that
the personal trainer had moved in-
she had said something to him,
but he was listening less & less
as he had more & more to worry about at work,
for it was all part of building his empire.
the personal trainer was a less successful man
by the standard that money can by,
but he listened to her
as he traced her curves with his fingers in the gym
with palms of his hand smoothly gliding over her muscles
making her body quiver &
it wasn't long before in the car outside the gym
they consummated the professional relationship
again &
again &
again &
again.
as she began to show less interest in sex with her husband,
he wrote it off as a side-effect of marriage &
found himself a main squeeze on the side,
a 20 something who needed money to get her through college
with a perkiness that made him feel young again &
a body that wouldn't quit-
as he grew more distant from the wife,
she grew closer to the personal trainer,
until the day when she brought him home to the house,
when she swore the husband would be gone.
husband found out the way a husband will
when husband had been no longer interested
until another shows his face, as it is only jealousy then
which kicks in, making husband suddenly care-
but personal trainer put husband on the ground
when husband came into his own bedroom
to find personal trainer banging away his bride
who now had no interest in husband-
husband sued the personal trainer for assault &
bride to be divorced husband, taking half of everything he had,
breaking his empire down to nothing
as he had been stupid enough to not require a prenup
at the beginning of it all.
poem by Andrew Delapruch
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The Centenarian
Great Grandfather was ninety-nine
And so it was our one dread,
That though his health was superfine
He'd fail to make the hundred.
Though he was not a rolling stone
No moss he seemed to gather:
A patriarch of brawn and bone
Was Great Grandfather.
He should have been senile and frail
Instead of hale and hearty;
But no, he loved a mug of ale,
A boisterous old party.
'As frisky as a cold,' said he,
'A man's allotted span
I've lived but now I plan to be
A Centenarian.'
Then one night when I called on him
Oh what a change I saw!
His head was bowed, his eye was dim,
Down-fallen was his jaw.
Said he: 'Leave me to die, I pray;
I'm no more bloody use . . .
For in my mouth I found today--
A tooth that's loose.'
poem by Robert William Service
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Visalakshi-2
Her husband died of a car accident.
It took place about three years ago.
Now she is free of encumbrances.
Hence I could talk to her as freely as
I did fifty two years back in her village
Where I met her, where we fell for each other.
I managed to get her phone number.
The last meeting of us was in her house
With her spouse, some twenty years ago.
She has married seven years after
Our episode, in the year I married,
Both being unaware of each other.
I saw her there after thirty two years
By when a lemon skinned beauty queen
Has turned into a dry skinned wrinkles.
I got her over phone and shared her grief.
She was upset, implying her bond with him.
She declined my offer of any meeting,
However incidental it might be.
‘Let us forget ours as a child game
With no renewal at this stage and age’
She said. Anxiety driven, she enquired
About me and family and my life.
Now she is seventy and weak as she told.
She is as old as me who am still robust.
It means we both were sweet seventeen
When we loved each other that went to
Being together with clothes stripped of
In her bolted room with a resolution
To elope, till we were caught red handed.
How quick a woman vomits her ex lover!
24.06.2010
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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Marriage.
A bond which is sensitive-
In which we share a lot.
Leaving our homeland-
We expect a lot.
Marriage is something-
Where we give in a lot.
At the sametime in return-
We want a lot.
Both, husband and wife-
Need to mingle a lot.
Priorites of life-
Change a lot.
Life revolves now-
Near husband a lot.
Lots of expenses-
To buy gifts a lot.
Time is short-
But dreams are lot.
Both, husband and wife-
Work a lot.
As evening arrives-
They talk a lot.
As time pass by-
Family is lot.
Even with grudges-
Love is lot.
And you see-
Marriage is loved a lot.
poem by Anju Addanki
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My Husband.
Husband is someone;
You spend most of your life with.
And with him;
You are for years.
My life has become strong;
For my husband is not wrong.
My life has become independent;
For my husband never let me dependent.
My life has become pure;
For my husband had every cure.
My life has become romantic;
For my husband is very aromatic.
My life had a new beginning;
For my husband was nearing.
And the most valuable gift-
My husband has given me;
Are my 2 wonderful and the best kids-
And I thank God,
For the wonderful family he has given me.
poem by Anju Addanki
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My Right! ! ! !
I am sitting here with the news turned up loud
Knowing we are there to help, makes me proud
I know so many just don't understand
If YOU had no freedom
If YOU had no say
How would you feel?
What could you do?
Without help, NOTHING!
I miss my husband
I miss his touch
But I am proud of what he does
I am proud of whom he is
You may have the right to protest
And you may not like this war
But no one has the right to tell my husband his rights should be ignored
His right to be proud
His right to be a patriot
His right to be a soldier
They say HE is wrong, that just isn't true
My husband could fight and die
For my right to speak
For my right to cry
For my right to feel this pain
For my right to be angry
For my right to feel the way I do
Your rights are not given by the grace of GOD
They are given by the blood of patriots
They are given with the lives of loved ones
Remember when you are out there slamming our own military
They are out there fighting and dying for your right to hate them
poem by Tearsica Brooks
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Are You a Good Husband?
All married men want to be called a good husband
A good husband is a decent husband
Mr. Husband what you done to deserve this decency?
Has your wife ever referred to you as her good husband?
It is known that the eyes cannot see itself
Unless by reflection. Have you ever asked
Your wife for a performance appraisal
Honey, how did I perform last year?
On a scale of one to ten, one for very poor
Ten for excellent, how did I perform?
Your wife may think you are now on new drugs
If you receive less than six, you need to
Start fence mending before it is too late
A good husband sees his wife as his friend
A nice husband treats his wife as his lover
A decent husband regards his wife as a soul-mate
You should anticipate what your wife
Will need before she makes any request
By the way, have you ever bought a gift
For your wife without an occasion?
Do you have to wait for her birthday?
To inform her that she is very special to you?
Do you have to wait for your wedding anniversary?
To tell her that she is the best thing in your life
When last did you talk to your wife in-laws?
When last did you visit your wife in-laws?
What have you done to be called a good husband?
Ask for performance appraisal on a regular basis
Remember, if you make your wife happy
You will get happiness in return
poem by Julius Babarinsa
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Happy To Live On Her Own
For twenty years married to a horrible man
In human years that does seem quite a long span
Her son and her daughter eighteen and nineteen
One might say that her better days she has seen.
A woman who does know about male abuse
Her husband when drunk often beat her though that's not an excuse
For such criminal behaviour to his beautiful wife
Some women with men have a terrible life.
He was not a good husband and a rotten dad
Herself and their children he did treat so bad
That he has left her for another she does feel quite glad
Though for his new woman she feels a bit sad.
She knows all about the anger of a man
And to marry again it is not in her plan
Some hard times in life one can say she has known
And now she is happy to live on her own.
poem by Francis Duggan
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The Old Family Picture
In the old
black-and-white
family picture,
I see
great grandfather
dead drunk
with his hat
slightly skewed.
In the same old
black-and-white
family picture,
I see
grandfather
as drunk as
his father is
with his hat
also slightly skewed.
Father fools
great grandfather
and grandfather
with his rice-washed-water
as the good old home-made
Makoli.
They all believe him.
1996
poem by Sangnam Nam
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No Not Everything In Life Does Go To Plan
No not every thing in life does go to plan
And to other women many lose their man
And we hear of marriage breakups every day
But nothing lasts for forever so they say.
Some women they have lost their men to war
And others through accident like motor car
And others through cancer or heart disease
And through many other ways as well as these.
With three Primary school going children Jane the fisherman's widowed wife
Know all about the harder side of life
Her story is as sad as sad can be
Her husband taken from her by the sea.
And though the remains of his two mates in the sunken boat were found
The frogmen searched the waters all around
Without finding the body of her Dave
He lay forever in his watery grave.
In life we have our good days and our bad
And at their marriage end some feel quite glad
And others feel as sad as sad can be
Like Jane who lost her husband to the sea.
poem by Francis Duggan
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A Husband...
A husband should be
Loyal and honest
A husband should be
Strong and protective
A husband should be
Loving and romantic
A husband should be
Patient and understanding
A husband should know
When enough is enough
A husband should know
When to fight and when to cry
A husband should know
all your goals and dreams
A husband should know
your strengths and well as your weaknesses
A husband needs to be a true man
A husband needs to love you unconditionally
A husband needs to know your heart is forever his
poem by Sarah Holmes
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Such a Terrible Thing.
That would be such a terrible
Thing she said seeing morning
Come through the window like
Some peeping Tom if he was to
Write and say he didn’t want to
Meet and that he never loved
Me at all or indeed in the first
Place that it was all just pretence
And she waited each day for his
Letter to come saying precisely
That saying what she thought a
Terrible thing written in his neat
Hand with that hard pushed down
Period at the end of the last sentence
And with the absence of those crosses
Of kisses at the bottom of the page
And she lifted her head to the day
Coming through her window wondering
If the mailman would be late or if
Maybe he was on his way and maybe
He knew what the letter would say
And was on his way to deliver like some
Ancient messenger with news of some
Raging war or battle lost and it would
Be a terrible thing she thought if he did
Say those things if he did write them down
And she didn’t know how she would cope
If he did wasn’t sure if she could keep her
World intact wasn’t sure she could cling
On each morning as the sunlight seeped
Its way through to her room and touched
Her bed and skin and head maybe she
Thought he’ll say he loves me and write it
In his fine words and hand with those kisses
Like birds in flight at the bottom of the page
Otherwise she said it would be a terrible thing
For the traitorous two-faced mailman to bring.
poem by Terry Collett
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(Meera) The Early Life Of Meera
Rajputs took ’Sati’ as a sacred one
For any live widowed woman
To burn herself in the fire
With her husband in the pyre
Meera was young still.
Lo, it was God’s will
That brought the end
Of Rathan Singh who died.
Her mother, Chandramugi
Went to join him in sati.
But Rao Dudha prevented it
For Meera’s sake, out right.
As Dudha, her grandfather,
Was too old to take care,
It fell on her mother
To care more for her,
A big crowd stood once
Outside the palace entrance
To receive red saris for women
And coarse dhotis for men.
A woman took a sari,
And asked for a dhoti.
As her husband was sick
He couldn’t come to take.
Next to her came Meera,
Asking for a sari from Dudha.
He refused to give her one,
As it was for a poor woman..
When Meera was stubborn,
Laughingly he gave her one.
Again for a dhoti she asked,
The one for her dear husband.
Dudha, who was surprised,
Asked, “Who’s your husband? ”
Promptly she then replied.
“Krishna is my husband.”
Chandramugi explained him,
How Meera had this dream,
How, one day, as a child
Lord Krishna she married.
On the girl’s passion
And her spiritual vision,
Happy they were first,
But became worried at last.
“How can a silent idol
Marry this mad girl?
Is it really possible?
What’s God’s will? ”
So said her mother
To her grandfather,
Who could understand
Her passion as a child.
He said, “When she grows old,
Reality she’ll understand.
Now, she’s only a child
To know about this world.”
But for the girl Meera,
She felt herself Radha,
Krishna’s beloved Consort
In the Dwaraka Resort.
Her every song revealed
Her deep thoughts inside,
As a wife of Krishna,
As Krishna’s Meera.
poem by Rajaram Ramachandran
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Jesse James
(neil morris)
I'll tell you about jesse and frank james
My grandfather was personally acquainted with them
My grandfather lived in the southern edge of baxter county, arkansas
And they stayed all night with him lots of nights
And my grandfather told me there was a lot of those robberies that was layed to jesse and frank james
And he knew they didn't do it 'cause they was at his place when it happened
But you couldn't tell the public that
When they get their minds made up that somebody's done something
Why the public's gonna stick to it anyway
My grandfather, he knew them as boys
And they could come to his place and go without anybody paying attention 'cause nobody expected them
Down in arkansas, see, 'cause they was from missouri
Now that's the story that my grandfather told me when i was just a boy
And he said that frank james, at that world's fair,
I think it was 1901 in st. louis him and jesse were both there
My grandfather and frank james were together there
And that frank james offered to bring jesse there alive
He said that the man that the ford boys killed wasn't jesse james at all
But the fellow they killed was just about the size of jesse and he was red headed
And he wasn't any relation to the fords
See, jesse james was a known cousin to charles and bob ford
That's what my grandfather said
He said jesse and frank were not even in that part of the country when that fellow was killed
And the ford boys, why, they collected a thousand dollars for killing jesse james!
Now the song says that the ford boys killed jesse
None of us up here in the mountains believe that, no sir!
song performed by by Ry Cooder
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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She Was A Nice Old Lady
Does it really matter one little bit at all
If only her family and her few friends memories of her do recall
She was a nice old lady that much of her I did know
But she did not die easily her end painful and slow
I had not seen her for somewhile but sad am I to say
That this evening one who knew her told me she was buried yesterday
In the flesh she will not be seen walking in the park again
But fond memories of her in those who knew her are destined to remain
Pre-deceased by her husband he died ten years ago
Their only offspring a Granddad in his late fifties the years on him begin to show
To her son she was a good mother and to her husband she was a good wife
A kind and caring person and one who did love life
Since her husband life departed she had lived on her own
She did not have a public profile and she was not well known.
poem by Francis Duggan
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I also know that there are a lot of people around the United States who want my husband to win and who are for him and who support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I feel good about those people, too.
quote by Laura Bush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Military wives- The silent ranks
I wear no uniforms no blue or army greens I am in the military ranks rarely seen I have no rank upon my shoulders salutes i do not give the military world is the place i live I'm not in the chain of command orders i do not get my husband is the one who does this i cannot forget I'm not the one who fires the weapon who put my life on the line though my job is just as tough I'm the one that's left behind my husband is a patriot a brave prideful man and the call to serve his country not all can understand behind the lines i see the thing needed to keep this country free my husband make the sacrifice but so do our children and i I love the man i married soldiering is his life I stand in the silent ranks know as the military wives
poem by Charity Howard
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Linley From Dubbo
Though she is only forty four she looks much older
And gray through her shoulder length hair of brown
But twenty years ago she looked a beauty
One of the finest in Dubbo her Hometown.
She married young when she was only twenty
And she was pregnant on her wedding day
She loved her husband and to him was faithful
But her price for loving him too high to pay.
Her angry husband when drunk often beat her
But next morning he'd say I'm sorry dear
I promise you that this again won't happen
Perhaps I ought to give up on the beer.
But his promises to her were quickly broken
The leopard never seems to change his spots how true
He often came home from the pub aggressive
And he often beat poor Linley black and blue.
Till she grew tired of Jack her violent husband
And she took her daughter Jo and headed south
Since that day ten years back she hasn't seen him
And where he now lives she doesn't wish to find out.
Linley from Dubbo is a young grand mother
Her grand daughter will be two years old next may
She won't be going back for to live in Dubbo
In Ferntree Gully she's happy to stay.
Since she left her husband she has had many relationships
But none of them lasted more than a year
But she says soon that she will meet her soul mate
And happy times for her she feels are near.
Despite all she has been through she feels so positive
And she has got a good approach to life
And lovely Linley from Dubbo in her forties
For some lucky man will make a marvellous wife.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Widow of Massacre
Some said she lost,
None said she crossed,
Nothing was known clear
Something about her was fear.
Everything, though said,
She's a widow of massacre.
If asked, she never say,
because witness you can pay,
She lost hee husband,
Then lost her hand.
Everything, though said,
She's a widow of massacre.
Behind her, there're stories,
Behind stories, there's worries,
Her village was ambushed,
And in bullets, washed.
Everything, though said,
She's a widow of massacre.
She survived the claws of wild,
After death of her single child,
Finally she ran to this village,
Where we paid her homage.
Everything, though said
She's a widow of massacre.
poem by Buyunde Acura Sylivester
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