Her Father-in-law
He's really an interesting character.
When my kids were small,
he wasn't so happy that I'm talking to them in English,
because English is the language of the enemy.
Goodness, the war was over decades ago!
I felt it's weird.
I grew up listening to my grandparents and parents about how hard life was during the war and how cruel the Japanese soldiers were.
And here are my children listening to their grandfather's stories about his hard training as a kamikaze pilot.
He was recruited towards the end of the war,
and there were hardly any plane to practice on.
Basically, they were taught how to fly, not how to land, because anyway, theirs is a one-way mission.
Akiko said that it was fortunate that the war ended before he was sent to do kamikaze.
He said that it was 'zannen' (regrettable) that Japan lost the war, because he so wanted to see action!
Masanao thinks that his father had not actually been
to the front line and experienced the horrors of actual combat,
so his father clings to an idealist view on why Japan went to war.
Jya ne! So long for now
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Lydia
There was life before us
my sister and I discovered
looking at photographs
we shouldn't have been looking at
of the English girl my father
was engaged to during the war.
Here she is right in front of our eyes,
the woman before my mother,
in a black lace cocktail dress,
a cigarette in a holder,
pensive, earthy—waiting
in front of the carved wooden radio,
for news from the front.
This is the war, after all,
and here she is again, somewhere
on an English beach, draped
across my father's shoulder
all of her silky skin radiant
above the soft folds of sun dress.
They stand in front of a sign
that reads 'Seaside Cottages,
two dollars.' And here she is
again, painted onto the cockpit
of my father's plane with hardly
anything on at all, and here he is
in his flight jacket, looking
in fact, happy. My sister and I each
lift our pencils like cigarettes,
taking long sultry drags to puff
out invisible rings. They rise
in the air like silver nooses
that will catch our father
and hold him to us.
poem by Geraldine Connolly
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Male parental hierarchy.
My parents are two, grandparents four
And great grandparents, eight and so on.
I am known by my father, his father,
And his father and so on by male side.
My mother, her mother and father, their
Mother and father and so on are ignored.
My fathers’ mother and grandfather’s
Mother and so on go to oblivion.
I am known by my father, his father
And his father and so on as a family.
All women from whom I have drawn
Their genes have been shut out.
Parental hierarchy is represented
By male, women dislodged at every stage.
25.08.2009
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Letter From A Friend
kombanwa!
Tommorow is my day off.
It's not a busy time now at the office.
So I take one day off a week.
Our busy times are in May, August, and year end.
You know, we used to be superbusy a couple of years ago.
My boss is a workaholic.
He has no other life but his company.
My officemates frequently worked overtime.
I could get away from it because of my children.
Then, maybe, because of overwork, he almost dropped dead!
Since then, medyo nagaan ang among load.
I hope she is feeling better now.
Medicine/Science has progressed a lot these days,
and age is really no longer a big obstacle now to childbearing.
I have a cousin in Australia.
Late pod sila nakaanak.
The problem was with the husband.
Blocked ang tube for sperm cells.
He had laser surgery, after which, nagkababy sila.
So, don't give up hope (nozomi) .
I've been reading your poems.
Whether you call them your lies, empathies, whatever, they all boil down to life's truths.
Life is poetry for you, that's why,
you'll never run out of ideas to write about as long as you live.
I don't understand all of them though - maybe due to lack of empathy on my part or my brain is simply dulled!
You also write beautiful visayan poems!
They made me miss my father - he can be very poetic.
He used to criticize me and my mother that we couldn't speak good Cebuano.
My mother was Chavacana, and
I actually spoke that language first before Cebuano.
You lately write about war,
young men dying in conflicts these days.
Is peace and order getting worse there?
Are there more of summary killings these days?
You wrote about Silliman/ Dumaguete.
A beautiful place. I studied there one year and I loved it there.
You know, I had a bit of colonial mentality,
and to me at that time it felt like
I had a taste of a bit of American life -
rodeos,
square dancing..
.I enjoyed watching stage plays and
cultural shows there.
So I had a school culture shock when
I transferred to UP Los Banos.
There were lots of school demos
and there wasn't much art in their stage plays.
They were more concerned about getting the message across:
'Down with Marcos! ',
'Down with imperialism! '
Goodness, I didn't even truly understand 'imperialism' then.
After some time, I learned to appreciate
the liberal atmosphere there.
I liked 'The songs of the geisha'.
Made me think of the Japayukis here,
rather than the Japanese geisha.
After seeing the cherry blossoms here,
I don't think I can ever associate it
with autumn anymore,
even in the poetic sense
('Cherry blossoms fading and falling') .
It blooms in spring and
the peak of its beauty is only
a couple of days or so.
The petals don't fade
and fall.
They fall while still at the peak of their beauty.
They look beautiful even when they've fallen on the ground,
looking like snow from a distance.
They symbolize glorious death at the peak
of their beauty
youth.
That's why the sakura also
symbolizes the kamikaze pilots -
most of them were so young!
I backed track to some of your old poems
and I found that of Kazu!
Thank you, that was nice!
I'll show it to him.
Can't say much about my love being stronger than his. I
'm very far from being an ideal wife.
And no, his origins are not samurai.
He traced it some lowly Korean blacksmiths.
Centuries ago, Korea was more advanced
than Japan, and
Japan invited Korean craftsmen
to learn from them.
Funny thing is that his father is a fierce nationalist
(he was trained to be a kamikaze pilot) ,
and he looks down on Koreans!
He won't even try and eat any Korean food!
So long for now. Please give my regards to her.
Again, I'm not expecting your response.
I'll just be reading your poems.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Pray For Peace Prosperity In Japan
Pray for stoic disaster devastated nation of Japan.
Pray for recovery from devastating 8.9 earthquake.
Pray for recovery from massive destructive tsunami.
Pray for containment of compromised nuclear reactors.
Pray for hope strength determination for Japanese people.
Pray for complete recovery restoration of Japanese economy.
Pray for God’s blessing a covenant blessing upon nation Japan.
Pray for the souls of family relatives friends lost.
Pray for the hearts of hurting suffering survivors.
In the name of the Father Son Holy Spirit pray for Japan.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Father’s Day
A father loves his children,
More than words can say;
Dad’s the head of family –
This was so till today!
A father toils for children,
From morn, throughout day;
So that all can eat good food,
He gives his hard-earned pay!
A father teaches children
And tells what life is;
A good dad chides and canes you,
If studies, you do miss.
A father tells his children
About love of God;
He reads the Bible verses,
And warns about God’s rod.
A father trains his children
Moulds their character;
He helps them know, right from wrong,
And live a life better.
A father guides his children,
Walk on sinless roads;
To live a life of fortitude,
And righteousness, he goads!
Let children wish their father,
‘Happy Father’s Day! ’
Thank God for giving this nice man –
A blessing till this day!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 6-15-2008
poem by John Celes
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Lyrael's Father
Father I’m listening
To all your travels and plans
Take me away
From all this troubled land
A sigh is just a sigh
And he knows you’ll never wake
Find your way home, Father
To live a little more
Father I never knew you well
You never really knew me
Wrap me in your velvet cloak
Do everything you’re meant to be
A sigh is just a sigh
And he knows you’re trying hard
Keep me safe and warm, Father
Don’t deny me
Mother she’s gone now
She was always there
Warm with compassion
Now I’m only scared
A sigh is just a sigh
You never knew me well
Tell me all your stories
Tell me about the world
Don’t live to ignore me
I didn’t do you wrong
You’ll find out soon enough
When all of you in me has gone
A Father’s meant to be there
Teach their children how to fight
In this big bad world with tough strict laws
To give it all their might
But how can I call you “Father”?
When you’re just another person to me
I have your genes and features
But not the love I need
A sigh is just a sigh
He’ll say Lyrael I’m proud
Of all the things I’ve seen you do
You’re my little girl
poem by Lyrael Myrna
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It Is Wonderful That There Are So Many Small Children In Israel
IT IS WONDERFUL THAT THERE ARE SO MANY SMALL CHILDREN IN ISRAEL
It is wonderful that there are so many small children in Israel
I see them everywhere and am happy when I see them.
Do they make up or compensate in some way for the million and one half Jewish children murdered a generation or two ago?
Nothing makes up for even one life lost
That we know.
But still seeing these children one invariably thinks of those other Jewish children-
I don't understand it at all-
It is wonderful that there are so many small children in Israel
Children are a great blessing and the hope of their parents and grandparents lives-
God Bless and protect these children
And let them never know the hatred the suffering the cruelty
Children no less innocent than them knew
A generation or two ago.
poem by Shalom Freedman
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A Soldiers Family
Today we lost another soldier, I do not know
His/her name.
Today we lost a soldier, I don’t know
From whence he/she came.
This was a soldier fighting in a war
As so many other soldiers had done this before.
It matters not what country the soldier is from.
For they no longer fight for country, but for each other.
All beliefs, religions, and honors are blown in the wind.
For war is not a joy, it is but a sin.
Once the soldier is gone, the family must live to carry on.
Wondering if it’s all been in vain
And if there was anything to gain.
The pains and the memories the families must bear
And with each other these they share.
A smile, a joke, a laughter, or two
These were the things they shared with you.
A love story or a relationship gone bad
These were the things that made them happy or sad.
A mother who inwardly cries
For it is so hard to say good-bye.
Nine months in her stomach, then tending
And caring for them and watching the child grow
This is what every mother knows.
A soldiers life is lost, but it’s not just any soldier you see
For this is the one that came from the father and me.
Yes! My child was a soldier and on the battle front they died
Trying to protect the freedom for you and I.
But let us mourn for all soldiers, for they are comrades
Who fought side by side, until the moment that they died.
It matters not if they are classified as the enemy
Death on all sides, there are so many.
They cry for their children, the same as we
And their hearts they do bleed.
If we as parents and family would be united as one
We would have these governments” under our gun”.
Until that day- we will always be “ a soldiers family”.
poem by Louis Rams
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Kamikaze Cappa
Going with company e to the first wave
I moved to get a close up
The first soldier of the opposite party stopped midway
And cried.
Are these the shots youre waiting for?
The shots of blood and pain are the ones youre
Waiting for
The u.s. medal of freedom will never bring back life to the
Death Ive seen
The goal of my life
I would like to be an unemployed war reporter
Pablo picasso
Francois gilot
Hemingway
Hitchcock
Ingrid bergman
Henri matisse
They all knew Im a gambler, corresponding with death
They know that life is white light, slightly out of focus
Kamikaze cappa always on the road
Kamikaze cappa ein bild fr den tod
Kamikaze cappa at the speed of life
Kamikaze driver
Youre the sunset diver
Youre the sunset diver
Walking with a column of french soldiers
In thai ping, indochina
May 25, 1954 at 2:55 pm, robert cappa, born as ernest andre
Friedmann 1913 in hungary, stepped on a mine
The vietnamese lieutenant said le photograph est mort.
song performed by by Falco
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Honor And Courage
In Japan, they write on rice paper,
In America, we write on the sides of buildings.
In Japan they honor their elders,
In America, we rob them on buses,
And abuse them.
In Japan there is great love for their country.
In America, people are refusing to stand,
For the national anthem.
In Japan, men are volunteering to die,
Without a second thought,
To give up their lives,
To save their fellow citizens.
Oh yes, you'll say, the Japanese are great,
At dying, at suicide missions.
But is that the point?
Shouldn't the point be,
The Japanese love their homeland,
The Japanese love their own people,
The Japanese love their way of life,
The Japanese love their traditions,
Love, honor, respect, courage,
Nobody writes on Japanese walls.
Offenders are quickly and severely dealt with.
Wouldn't you volunteer also?
Maybe not.
Honor, and courage,
Seem to be,
In short supply,
Stateside.
3/26/11 Alton Texas
poem by Juan Olivarez
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Japan Minus Frogs
For Guy de la Valdène
Looking casually
through my English–Japanese dictionary
I can't find the word frog.
It's not there.
Does that mean that Japan has no frogs?
poem by Richard Brautigan (4 June 1976)
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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My father was the son of immigrants, and he grew up bilingual, but English is what my father taught me and what he spoke to me. America's strength is not our diversity; it is our ability to unite around common principles even when we come from different backgrounds.
quote by Ernest Istook
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Take Me Home Oh Father
Take me home oh Father, take me home,
For I've wandered this land You made alone.
No one understood of what I am,
Wasn't loved it seemed by beast or man.
Take me home oh Father, take me home,
My lifes' work seems over for me now.
I have done all You have asked of me,
Oh Dear Father do You hear my plea?
Take me home oh Father, take me home,
The pain is more than one can bare.
Take me home oh Father take me home,
To a place You promised if You care.
Take me home oh Father if You would,
For all my life I've tried to do what's good.
Take me home oh Father my life is done,
All has ended please now take me to Your Son.
poem by Linda Winchell
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Big In Japan
Winters cityside
Crystal bits of snowflakes all around my head and in the wind
I had no illusions
That Id ever find a glimps of summers heatwaves in your eyes
You did what you did to me, now its history I see
Heres my comeback on the road again
Things will happen while they can
I will wait here for my man tonight, its easy when your big in japan
When your big in japan, tonight
Big in japan, be tight, big in japan where the eastern seas so blue
Big in japan, alright, pay, then Ill sleep by your side
Things are easy when youre big in japan, when youre big in japan
Neon on my naked skin
Passing silhouettes of strange illuminated mannequins
Shall I stay here at the zoo
Or shall I go and change my point of view for other ugly scenes
You did what you did to me, now its history I see...
Things will happen while they can
I will wait here for my man tonight, its easy when youre big in japan
Gold/1979
song performed by by Alphaville
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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This is America: Better know English
America was once the magnificent place
Where all immigrants wanted to escape
So they illegally come here, as illegal aliens
Hiding in the back of our American vans
Now our schools and jobs require multiple languages
When we’re the Americans, we’re supposed to speak English!
And we do and just because they don’t
Doesn’t mean their language is a demand we should know
Don’t come to America if you don’t know the language
I’m just being realistic, I’m not being racist
Don’t put up store signs if they’re not readable
You’re in America; English is the main language you should know
Then they’re pissed because people won’t help out their business
But their forgetting us Americans don’t speak their language
We don’t go to Mexico demanding English classes
So why should they own the right to demand us Spanish?
I love the language, and everything BUT
THIS IS AMERICA look our history up!
Then tell me if French should be required
Where in the hell in the time line is that desired?
I know this is the land of opportunity, land of the free
But we should be able to communicate as human beings
And if that’s just too hard no one said they had to stay here
They can go back where they came from and speak in harmony there
I’m just a full blood American, as so the rest of my family
And like others, our language should be the first they’re demanding
We're tired of going to our fastfood restaurants to eat
When the orderer of our order can't even speak
And buyers, don't buy our house
If you can't even pronounce our street out
I'm tired of security going through all our private equipment
I'm an American, Bitch, do I look like a terrorist?
Honestly, you can come here if you want to be
Since this is the best place of opportunity
And we don’t care if you speak 20 different languages and love them
But this is AMERICA, ENGLISH better be one of them!
poem by Sugar Bear
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I'm Still My Father's Child
When I lost my father I put myself under the fatherless, but
Now I know he had to go for me to realise that
I’ve always been blessed with two fathers
When I lost my father I thought everybody you love is bound to leave
But now I know he was just here for a purpose and he had to go
For me to realise that I have a Father that will never leave nor forsake me
When I lost my father I thought it was the end of what we had, but
Now I realise that our relationship was a parable. He has to leave
For me to practice what he taught me with my eternal Father
When I lost my father I thought nobody will ever fill his space, but
He had to leave for me to know my Heavenly Father
For us to have a close relationship that we have now
When I lost my father I though God had taken him away from me, but
Now I understand that he had to go for me
To remain my Father’s child forever.
I AM MY FATHER’S CHILD
poem by Sihle KaPhila Zulu
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yes, what if God does not speak english at all?
you were not born yesterday
and probably heard it before
that if your God does not speak english
then he must not be God
of course, something arrogant
hangs in the air
of this effortless superiority that
'englishers'
'english-plongplangs'
clai m, which, of course, we
always oppose and dub
as prettry dumb silly
but anyhow, yes, we are asked again
what if?
what if, this God, does not really speak English?
well, of course, he is still God
and he must not have considered the english language
that important
and i agree, even if i speak it,
i still have this language
of my soul,
albeit, in english, for you,
who does not speak my own language,
yes, of course, for you to perhaps
understand,
but i like it though, this thought
that God does not speak
the english language, lest, he may sound
so englishly, oh well,
arrogant.....
dear God
do you really...not speak english?
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Enemy Of All
A father is the enemy
When he left unpaid debts
A foolish son is the enemy of
His parents
A beautiful wife is the enemy of
Her husband
A mother with loose character
Is the enemy of her children
A greedy corrupt and notorious king
Is the enemy of the country men
O friend, remember
If you are not doing any good deeds
Beneficial to others you are the enemy
Of your soul and enemy of you
As you are destroying yourself
As your same soul is there in the body of all.
poem by Gajanan Mishra
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And That's Why
I didn’t call and wish you a happy fathers day today
Cause everyone called and told me today.
Did you need for us to call you on this day?
Just like the kids wanted to play that day?
I didn’t call and wish you a happy fathers day today
Because you haven’t seen your kids in 21 days
I bet they wanted to play within those days
So that’s why I didn’t call and tell you happy fathers day
I called and told my daddy happy father’s day
Because he calls me each and every day
When you didn’t buy those diapers
He came through, just like always
When the kids wanted to play
Your brothers dad came around and stayed
So I wished him a happy father’s day today
I wished all my single mothers’ happy father’s day
Because they go through the same thing i do
And they wished me a happy father’s day too
So that’s why I didn’t call you
You called too,
But I was sleeping
Because I have to work two jobs
To take up for what you don’t do
So that’s why I didn’t call you
I put your son on the phone when I woke up
To call and wish his father a happy father’s day
And guess what?
You hung up!
Now do you see why I don’t call and wish you a happy father’s day?
poem by Tylatreece Colbert
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Kamikaze Romance
It’s a kamikaze romance
With our hearts strapped in the seats
And we wage a war called Love
And we’ll not concede defeat
Even if it means flying
In the face of certain doom
We both know the end is coming,
And the end is coming soon…
It’s a kamikaze romance
How sweet the flight, though, while it lasts
Hurtling through the air
Watching heart-shaped clouds zooming past…
Let’s try, love, not to think
Of how this must come to an end
We know it will not last forever
But at least we can pretend…
It’s a kamikaze romance
And when our course starts turning downwards
All the memories of what we had
Will forever be ours
When comes the end; with tears,
With a scream, and with a screech,
Perhaps they’ll find pieces of our broken hearts
Strewn across some glassy beach…