Part 2 of 3 - A Father Dies, A Mother Tries, A Young Son Lies

The Author of this series is Robert Cline. This series of three poems were based on his life.

A Mother Tries

And so, she did as he had asked

she took upon herself the tasks

Of raising this her youngest son

and two more, all three as one.

She strived to teach them wrong from right

at night she prayed with all her might.

It seemed as though, at least with one

the smaller one, her youngest son

For he, it seemed, would not be taught

and all her teachings came to naught.

On his own he tried to stand

in his struggle to become a man.

And when at last his manhood gained

he stood alone in ball and chains.

Then in his mind his thoughts raced back

to a father lying on his back.

To the things his dad had said back then

by twenty-one he'll be in the pen.

Now all alone in his cold dark cell

his mind remembers, all too well.

All the things his mom had said

now all too soon his mother was dead.

He bows his head, and cried and cried

he knew full well his mother tried.

May 15th, 1992