This man
who is not
my father
is
my
father.
The other’s laugh:
“It’s not your turn but
he calls only for you! ”
And so I go
& clean him up
his skeleton thin body
splashed with urine & sh**.
I laugh & joke
with him.
He chuckles
as I tell him:
“Michael...you used to be
so full of crap
but sh**...now you’re not! ”
Lucky
our Irish sense of humour
extends this far
say anything with love and
it becomes so.
It is a tired old joke
but like a child he
pounces on its nuances
relishing each pause and stupid syllable!
I bathe
him
this man
who is not my father
gently as if he were
my child.
I sing
to him
all the old songs
I learned
at my father’s hands
as he bathed me.
“...why does my poor heart keep following you...”
We sing together
softly as I bathe him
dress him
anew
in the memory
of my father.
This man
who is not
my father
becomes
my father
as my hands learn
to care for him.
I settle
a pillow
behind
his head
wipe sweat
from his forehead
stroke
his hair
until his sleep
is full
of dreams
...dreams.
*******
Tender funny amusing sad all the one and same time...I love the way your mind can hold all these things in such perfect balance and blend them into such a wonderful story of love and human compassion. I too have worked in homes and in mental health and it can be a cruel uncaring world sometimes brutally. For every one of you there are many others who don't have your love. I wouldn't like to grow old or be put in a home...there might not always be a you around. love Dee Dee
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
I love this Dónall, you have measured this out well. Not just the manner in which you have laid the poem out but also when to draw back from over sentimentalising this (as many others would have done) . This has a harshness and pathos to it. I cannot understand why you censored yourself, unless I am misreading that part and that it is rather intricate to the narrative (the protagonist would not use bad language to his father, perhaps?) . All in all one of the best poems I have read on this site in a long while.