Absalom! Absalom!

A daughter writes about her father.

“Time means nothing to a hog,”

he said

when relatives were late

to Thanksgiving Dinner.

 

 

“Where do you want to starve --

On the East Coast or the West?”

he said

when I told him that I wanted

To go into acting.

 

 

“You deserve to live

in a Volkswagen bus

with flowered curtains,”

he said

when I told him I was thinking

about joining a Kibbutz.

 

 

Absalom! Absalom! I think,

hearing these shifting narratives

that have nothing to do

with life as we know it.

 

 

“Let’s pass this little man --

in his camper,”

he said

as he screeched past

the RV he was tailgating.

 

Author's Note

Do you understand this?

Reviews

[Laz K.]

Like other Faulkner novels, Absalom, Absalom! allegorizes Southern history; the title itself is an allusion to the Biblical story of King David and Absalom - a wayward son fighting the empire his father built. "shifting narratives" seem to refer to the novel that is pieced together based on various narrators telling their version of the "truth." This poem features a patriarch who, in his attitudes, somewhat resembles the one in the Faulkner novel.
This is what I thought in answer to your question, "Do you understand this?" :)

[Chris Shaw]

I did not understand the title and had to refer to other responders to fill in the detail. I have written a daughter father poem which is in sharp contrast to this. I have to say that my Dad was a kind and generous man and regretfully for you you did not experience that sort of kindness. Not alot of support or kindness evident here and indeed snatches of verbal abuse came as cross. My heart fmgies out to you fir what you have missed. Good to read you Serendipity.

Chris

[Einstein Noodle]

yes! the Da's character is clearly shown .. in the narrative. Not a very nice man says i! ... my heart is immediately attached to the daughter (i have 2 of my own) she is just trying to find her way in life and he is at every turn, unsupportive and abusive actually .. in my opinion. Bringing in Absalom in the title and in her closing thoughts shows a wisdom in her .. an older and deeper place .. Absalom is alleged to be the most handsome man in the kingdom at the time; but the inner man then and in your story are in stark contrast to that. I saw you are listed as new and with a moniker like Serendipity .. how could i resist.. I read your about me .. written by someone else but an impressive list of accomplishments .. welcome to the Cafe' .. you will find a full array of experience here ... from little to much .. but its the voices that for me have been the rainbow .. i am uneducated (self taught) and have been at the Cafe' for quite a while .. it beats FB and all those "itters" by a long shot for me! ;) hope to see you around regularly .. right here at the Cafe' .... I am
E.
ps. wonderful poem ... was right there with your characters .. love the VW bus ... been there :))))))))))))))))

[Franky]

Weren't those King David's words when his son Absolom died?

Absolom was kind of a pain, but David loved him. Idk

[barleygirl]

I don't know the world in which your poem is set, but the quotes you use are killer on many levels. It makes me want to come up with some killer lines about my beast of an abusive father, a completely different tenor than your poem, but trying to emulate your wry sense of justice (as I admire this so). Every family has these kinds of gems & we all need to mine them & share them. Interesting to read JtheB cut on the possible symbolism, but I could not relate this to your poem. I just love your poem for the acerbic stab each verse delivers & who cares what it means? (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[John the Baptist]

Well, that was one Faulkner novel I didn't read. The Biblical Absalom, though, was an Israelite prince who rebelled against his father, King David, and was killed in battle. In this poem, it seems that Dad, something of a negative sage, is fomenting rebellion in his daughter. It appears, however, that she did not fall in battle, and has settled instead for getting even in print.