A Parent's Lament Poem by John Carter Brown
A Parent's Lament
'How many times have I told you,
Behave, and just do as you're told?
Stop messing about in that bedroom,
Come on now your tea will be cold.'
'If you will act the fool at the table
I'll take your meal off you you know;
And make sure your shoes are not dirty
If right through the house you must go.'
'If you're off out to play now just listen:
Don't go where you're told not to go,
And make sure you're back when I've told you,
No later than quarter to four.'
'How many times have I asked you
To pick up your clothes off the floor?
I'm warning you now it's the last time,
For goodness sake PLEASE close that door.'
'If I have to come up there you're for it,
I mean it, I'll say it no more;
Turn down that noise from your radio,
It's too loud... Oh PLEASE keep it low.'
'Look I know that I'm always complaining,
I know that I'm sometimes a bore,
And though you are driving me bonkers,
I really do love you you know.'
Written Aug 1994
A parental anxiety is well presented thoug objectionable to the child.
oh boy, you have taken the words right out of my mouth. Very entertaining.
I do not think that a misbehaving child reaches the high bar for calling it a parent's lament
May you or your child never experience the true lament that comes with the daily gut punch we are experiencing every day.
You should rename your poem because lament is far too strong a word to describe a disobedient child. Seeing you child with symptoms from a degenerative disease opens up fresh grief every day.
You have no idea what a parent's lament is. My child was diagnosed last year with multiple sclerosis at age 19. His ongoing symptoms are such that he does not even want to leave the house. I cry every day about his condition and his future life.
Good stuff John. Only one word of suggestion. I used to use 'and' liberally, both during and at the beginning of a sentence, but I found it detracted from my work so I reworked them endlessly without 'and' and then found them much tighter and more focused. I'm going through your list. Very good.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/16/2024 6:57:51 AM # 1.0.0.1119
Been down that road. You defined child rearing very well and turned out an amusing write= very enjoyable read