The Learning Teacher

A happy father’s day to all!

Below is a poem written a few years ago but somehow I never attempted to get it published.

A Father Reminisces 

Lying on his lover’s breast,

he hears the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat

and that sound sweeps him away …

to the sound that he heard many years ago –

the gentle rhythm of his child’s heartbeats.

The soft heartbeat of

his first born son

whom he held in the palm of his hand

and lifted the child to his ear

to hear the sound –

of the miracle of a new life.

Lying in bed with his lover nuzzling in his arm,

he watches his lover sleep beside him

and that sight takes him back …

to the sight that he beheld many years ago –

his child snuggled up into his arm.

The warm soft body of

his second born son

whom he held close to his heart

and now lies gently snuggled up

in his father’s arm –

safe and content in his young life.

Lying awake as he watches his lover sleep

the father wonders where his sons lie tonight …

and he hopes they find love

and someone to watch over them -

as he once had.

© 2000 Malachi Edwin Vethamani

Just a short note to say that I will be posting my published work and also some of my unpublished writings in my website (www.edwinvethamani.com) from time to time and not in my blog. You are invited to read the poems and short stories and post your comments in my blog.

Regards

Edwin

The New Road

From a distance
I could not quite make you out –
a dark grey object
on a grey new road.

As I approached
you became obvious:
a monkey dragging a foot.

The sound of my car horn
only made you stop.
You stood on your hind legs
and looked at the approaching object.

I slowed down
and saw through my window.
I hoped you would turn back
and go where you had come from.

You stared at me
and broke into a scream.
Your angry eyes
seemed to echo my very thoughts.

As I drove on
I dared not look behind:
shame and sadness
do not save lives.

© Malachi Edwin Vethamani, 2003.

”The New Road” (Poem) in Ruzy Suliza Hashim and Ganakumaran Subramaniam (edts.) Reclaiming Place and Space: Issues in New Literatures. Bangi: Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2003.