Happy Poetry Friday!
I’m celebrating Father’s Day with a new poem and older haiku.
Father’s and families
woven together over
generations
filled with
traditions
old and new,
adapt to time
while holding fast to
families integrity.
Father’s and families
grow together
creating
innate bonds
felt deep within
each other’s feelings
often without
any words
exchanged.
Father’s and families
build relationships through
toil and triumph
joy and pain
sorrow and delight
while their heart’s
hold together a lifeline
filled with
love.
© 2021 Michelle Kogan
remembering
my father… crunching leaves
and banjo strings
© 2018 Michelle Kogan
Buffy Silverman at her blog Buffy Silverman Children’s Author is hosting this weeks Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Buffy! Buffy’s sharing a poem inspired by red and green growing leaves. Drop by her post for a bevy of poetry offerings.
Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, & Writing 
Michelle, of course you would honor us with a Father’s Day poem and drawings. The sketch of your Dad is wonderful and the poem is strong with a great ending,
“while their heart’s
hold together a lifeline
filled with
love”
I also love your haiku that is sensitive and reflective.
Happy Father’s Day to you and your family! Your poem is a lovely tribute to the deep bond that so many of us have with our fathers through “toil and triumph.” Thank you for sharing it.
Love the lines, “crunching leaves and banjo strings.” That’s a lot of a story right there. You are a fortunate daughter to have that special memory.
I agree with Linda, those “crunching leaves and banjo strings” say so much with such economy of words, and your artwork is lovely! Thanks for this reminder of the importance of family (and the musical moment too :-).
Me, too, with those “crunching leaves /and banjo strings”, Michelle, & I love the repeating lines of your first poem, then the 2nd line showing all the ways fathers are the weavers & the sketch of your father! I just heard yesterday from a nephew that my brother-in-law, his father, passed away yesterday. It will be a sad day for them on Sunday, but special memories help. Thank you!
Love all of this, Michelle. What a fine drawing of the man himself, and such a loving, heartfelt poem. Also love me some banjo and bass fiddle! The “crunching leaves and banjo strings” are really staying with me. Fab sensory details!
I love “crunching leaves and banjo strings.” So concrete. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Michelle, Thank you for the Father’s Day poems. Lovely! The haiku is my favorite with two such vivid memories–“crunching leaves and banjo strings”.
These lines too. I love the idea of the lifeline here:
“while their heart’s
hold together a lifeline
filled with
love.”
The sketch of your father reminds me a bit of a Leonard Baskin print that I inherited from my mom.. love the crunching leaves and banjo strings.
I love your sketch and your new poem!
What a beautiful tribute to your father. I love the structure of your poem.
Your haiku and sketch are resonating (ha – like banjo strings?!) for me, Michelle. The crunching leaves and banjo strings give me a sense of your father’s personality.