a childhood memory poem by joyce alexander.

this poem below is from joyce alexander who took my chester county night school class called the pull of poems. 

in exploring childhood memory poems, she wrote this piece about her father, reflecting on many decades ago and what her life in early days shaped as in farm-speak.

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MY DAD—HE FIXED EVERYTHING

By Joyce Alexander

The Heights where we lived was a farm of sorts

with a cottage on the hill

My Dad—he had a garden

he would work the damp cool soil

when beads of sweat streamed down his back

I would catch them with my hand

A willow tree by the front porch was my self-made swing

And of course I fell more often than not

Oh but what fun that was for me

We had chickens a cow and rabbits in a pen

Our goose he drowned in his watering tub

His feet were up his beak was down

Now Chubby our chow he guarded me

No unknowns came in our yard

We walked and walked the woods near by

He guided me home when I lost my way

But with a bite on his back that would not heal

My Dad—you know—he fixed everything

A bullet to his head was his way

My Dad—he came from that world—

Too many kittens—you drown them

The dog gets sick—you shoot him

As I grew in age we moved away

But I often remember those long ago days