child
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is one of my favourite bands. Their song "Teach Your Children", from the album Deja Vu, inspired this poem that I wrote. Although this song is seen as an anti-war song, i wrote the poem with my daughter in mind.
photo by Patrick Fore at Unsplash
child
children
rein them not
with a mailed fist
but mould them
with the gentle touches
of a potter's fingers
for they are like clay
absorb
all the love
we can give them
and more.
27.05.2007
**********
first published in i write too, June 2011
White Lion - When The Children Cry
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2021
child
children
rein them not
with a mailed fist
but mould them
with the gentle touches
of a potter's fingers
for they are like clay
absorb
all the love
we can give them
and more.
27.05.2007
**********
first published in i write too, June 2011
White Lion - When The Children Cry
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2021
posted by dsnake1 at 10:00 PM
18 Comments:
Love the poem and completely agree with its message. Children become a lot of what we used to raise them. Your daughter is a lucky child.
Mould them with love. I do agree
Happy Sunday Cheong Lee san. Thanms for dropping by my blog this morning
Much💜love
Magaly,
Thank you.
This is quite an old poem. :)
Gillena,
That's what i thought is the better way. Thank you. :)
I absolutely love this. I gave me a chill as someone who loves and is an advocate for children.
to mold a beautiful bowl on a potters wheel, all you have do is "stay in touch" "maintain contact", that's all, a gentle touch with the tip of one finger is all that is takes. very well said my friend
This is precious poetry .............
Should be required reading for every parent. :) This is a lovely piece.
Yes, yes, yes!
I remember a psychiatrist I used to know saying that it's a mistake to try and toughen children up for the world they must face by treating them harshly; what really strengthens them for the world they must face is to fill them up with love.
Colleen,
Thank you! :)
Phillip,
"stay in touch", "maintain contact" : ah, very important words in relationships.
Thank you for the kind words. :)
Helen,
Thank you! :)
Rommy,
"required reading for every parent" : Thank you! :)
Rosemary,
I remembered that's how my parents raised us, no harsh treatments on us, and we still grew up well, healthy, street-smart, educated.
Thank you for the kind comment. :)
I loved that poem so much. There's so much tenderness running through it. And we need more tenderness in the world now.
Greetings from London.
Mario,
Thank you!
certainly, we need more tenderness in the world.
Such wisdom! The TV personality, Dr. Phil, often says "children are the blank slates upon which parents write". So true.
"children are the blank slates upon which parents write".
yes, so true.
Thank you, Beverly. :)
Yes, very true
Thank you, Ashok! :)
This is beautifully written but the metaphor isn't quite working for me. There's a limit to how much you can mold your children. They are their own people and they will do things, become people you may not have intended. True that maintaining close contact with a light touch with the clay is a better recipe for success than leaving it neglected to dry, but eventually, a parent must accept they don't have the total control and mastery over a child as they might a work of art.
Jewish Young Professional,
Thank you for the thoughtful comment.
True, there is a limit on how much one can mold their children. These children will grow up too, and some, if not all, will become parents one day. I do agree with you that a parent must accept they don't have the total control and mastery over a child as much as they would like. The theme of the poem is that it is better to gently teach a child, than to bring the cane forcefully on him or her.
I really appreciate your comment. I wrote this poem when my child was already a teenager, and was thinking about the years that we brought her up.
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