Barefoot(For Angie Baby) Poem by Dónall Dempsey
Barefoot(For Angie Baby)
I follow the road
of my father’s voice
journey with him
along white roads...over green fields
barefoot
to school & back
(shoes if at all...worn only to church)
picking up the cuts & scabs
stubbed toes
his going to school
would entail
in the early years of the 1920’s
only so much history to me
real
to him
his toes
knowing the wind
in the grass
for what it is
his toes
clasping a rock
fording a stream
Irish & poems
bubbling through his head
babbling along
the tongue
words thrown to
those lost summer skies
startling a blackbird
spouting his poetry
with poetry
of his own
(3 miles to school...3 miles back)
his mind a skimmed stone
dancing along a river
over unforgiven
stones
thorns attacking his feet
with undisguised relish
the vehemence of glass
glinting greedily
for the next footstep
the menace
of the twisted rusty nail
& its treachery
betraying the next footfall
as he walks over
the unremitting years
into my eyes
wide with wonder
listening to him
tell of himself
as a little boy
to his little boy
the me of then
my eyes now
following the road
of my father’s voice
as it wanders
barefoot
through my tears
& memory.
My Da always told me that he had to walk 5 miles to school every day, but that it was only three miles back home when school let out for the day (because of his joy at being out?) . I could never, ever have told this tale as well as you have, though, with such beauty and tenderness and love.
God...this is just such a beautiful poem. So tender! A love poem for your Dad! It's an amazing tour de force! And I know it is not a sad poem but it's beauty made me cry. All the times intertwining with him as the little boy and you the little boy hearing him tell of being a little boy...it's such a celebration of him and your love for him! It bursts the heart and overfloods the banks. Simply stunning! Wow! love Dee Dee
Oh my.... this is absolutely 'awesome', sorry for my leaning to that word but it is Donall. Awesome penning. I love it. HG: -) xx
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/10/2024 10:24:15 PM # 1.0.0.1119
'as it wanders barefoot through my tears & memory.' unforgettable - barefoot wandering through tears...i cannot find my shoes, too... as if i walked barefoot through all - it is so very well penned...