A Paradoxical Heart

Words from the heart of a father.

A Paradoxical Heart


That which I loved I have destroyed,
That which I nurtured and gave life I have poisoned.
That which I cherished I have dashed to pieces,
That which I established I have broken.

I have loved with all my heart,
Given of all I possess.
I have counseled and guided
With all the wisdom one can muster.

Still I have desecrated what I have loved,
And tarnished what I cherished.
Would that those words and deeds  could be erased,
Erased from minds and hearts.

Now as I look at the damage I have wrought,
I find that what I have made;
What I have now grown is nothing less
Than Mr. Blake’s “Poison Tree.”

It has poisoned me and my heart.

Mike Pickle
Dec. 31, 2013, Jan. 1, 2014