My life was squalor
violent and full of fear
square meals came from a can and rarely numbered three
but there I lived
beneath my corrugated aluminum roof
crouched among the remnants
of what we pretended to call a family
until he came
a bright figure in a weathered cowboy hat
with calloused hands and a booming laugh
he pulled me out of the refuse bin
and whisked me away to another world
with clean sheets and warm bath water
and I tasted my first vegetable
and life was wonderful for a time
as he held my mother and smiled at me
but in the back of my mind
always that doubt
was it duty or choice
that made him set me free?
Author notes
Bronze trophy.
"I want to win"
As for the story behind the whole "duty or choice" thing, I was actually in the custody of my biological father when I was young, he was very poor, and an alcoholic, and the living conditions were not good, but my mother had been young and when she married my stepdad, it was still a few years before my situation came up. When it was brought to his attention, my stepdad came and removed me from my father's custody. I still wonder whether he did it out of some sense of duty or by choice, but regardless I totally believe he saved my life.
A contest entry
- Was it Duty or Choice? by Ken-Maverick.
700 points, ended May 21, 11 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - PREWRITES THAT HAVE WON BRONZE OR SILVER ONLY by liquidmindforever.
400 points, ended May 31, 99 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
-
Dear Poet Friend,
yOUR ENTRIES FOR BRONZE & SILVER TROPHY WINNERS ONLY ARE NOT COMPLYING WITH THE RULES. PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT YOU ARE TO PLACE TWO ITEMS IN AUTHOR NOTES.
please notice spelling errors below and correct:
beneathe my corrugated alluminum roof
crouched among the remn
I tasted my first vegetable : This line evoked
such a feeling of sadness within me
was it duty or choice
that made him set me free?
Would love to know what this means; not necessary but of interest
PLEASE ADVISE WHEN YOU DO WITH NAME AND CONTEST TITLE: trophy & i want to win
I will then place entry among the finalists
until then
best wishes,
AND STAY
LIQUID -
Rules
Dear Poet,
Thank you for entering my contest: PREWRITES
FOR BRONZE & SILVER TROPHY WINNERS, ONLY
with your poem WHAT MOTIVATES THE MAN.
Please return to the rules. There, take note:
You've omitted following two of them
Once you've complied, IM with TITLE & CONTEST
and I'll read and enter your piece into the
contest.
Until then
best wishes
and stay
liquid -
Amazing write...Enthralling...
The flow the content held my interest and I wished there had been more.
-
JUDGED!!
A wonderful story you've told here, well done indeed, thanks for entering and all the best to you in the contest
Ken
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