92 Comments
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Patricia Andrews (WA)'s avatar

These speak to most of humanity. Thank you for your honesty.

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LeighK's avatar

I love the trilogy of these - your children, your father, you. Each poem so powerful and so suited to each other as well.

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J.'s avatar

I've always thought we humans are a mixture of the admirable & reprehensible.

You certainly encapsulated that in your poem.

I was 15 when my mother had a baby. We used to bathe her in the big preserving pot we had for making jam! A slippery beautiful little fish.

Nice poem about your father. When you write about him I feel a simple mutual love. Despite his issue, it's clear that he cared deeply for you.

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Dusty Hope's avatar

"Dear God, I'm a broken fool

who's equal parts kind and cruel."

Thats lovely...

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Shelly Boyd's avatar

You had me at “Dear God, I'm a broken fool who's equal parts kind and cruel” crazy how you can do that. Have a great weekend and limlmtx

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

You're welcome. And thanks, Shelly!

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Leon Brown, Jr.'s avatar

Preach!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks, Leon!

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Kate Bradley's avatar

These are gems. I'm very grateful to you for them.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Kate.

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man of aran's avatar

Preachify is a very good tonic.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks!

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lou J's avatar

Once again, you get me thinking of my complex father. I used to visit him at work where, as a bored but loved accountant at a public hospital, e would give me a quarter to walk down the hall to but cigarettes he would smoke in the hospital offices. And then he’d put me on his shoulders, parading me around to his friends. I need to read water in water several times more. But at this point it definitely leads me to wonder if I am naive to yearn for previous eras.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

I miss my father very much, with all of his strengths and flaws.

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Danielle ⛈️'s avatar

Beautiful!! LOVE the picture, as well! XO

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Danielle.

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AJ Batista's avatar

I mostly need my authors to have suffered, am I wrong for that? Perhaps that's why you're a fav. Thank you so much for always pointing out the beauty and loviness that's interwoven between the blah

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, AJ.

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LINDA STARK's avatar

New book yes! When did I miss that? Preachify something about that one also reminded me of a young Sherman.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Hahaha. I've been publishing books since the first George Bush was President!

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Theresa Griffin Kennedy's avatar

Can't wait to buy your new book! I know I'm gonna love it! These poems are wonderful, with Retrospective being my favorite. What a lovely poem!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Theresa.

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Theresa Griffin Kennedy's avatar

Can't wait to buy your new book! I know I'm gonna love it! These poems are wonderful!

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Catherine Graves's avatar

I love all three of these poems so much. Thanks for writing them Sherman.

And, the line, "He didn't know how".

This sums it all up for me, maybe for everyone. Beautiful.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Catherine.

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Monica P.'s avatar

“Retrospective “ stood out to me. Not only was I the channel turner, beer getter, but also stood by my dad’s toolbox and handed him the tools. Reading this, I miss him.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

I miss my father. Thanks, Monica.

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