Erwin A. Thompson’s new poem, “Tears”

My father loves womankind, and he is kindness itself to women. At 92 his current hobby is shepherding a family of adopted daughters through their tearful life moments…in extremely practical and tangible ways at times…in poetic ways at other times as in the poem we share with you today. This adopted daughter is my father’s cookie supplier, and could rival Mrs. Fields, any day!
—JGR

Erwin A. Thompson (author, musician, and folk treasure)

TEARS
by Erwin A. Thompson

You sat there and you talked to me
You cried.
The teardrops making little rivers down your cheeks.
Your head bowed down in sadness
And defeat.

You told me of the troubles that you had,
Together, we have fought and won in years gone by.
This one too big for you to fight alone,
It broke my heart to see you sit and cry.

“I love you,” you said softly, and I knew
That you were thinking not just of today;
But of the years, the heartbreak—
That I’d watched and helped sometimes—
The troubles that we’d shared along the way

We talked, and weighed the facts,
And found the answer after ‘while
And once again I saw a smiling girl.
We shared a hug, and you went out
Balanced and ready
To face a hostile world

“Middle aged,” I guess, if one would count the years,
Although the word would never cross my mind.
Standing straight, and tall and true—
The sweetest smile that you could ever find.