Hope in the Well of Angst
“Hope in the Well of Angst”
Is a poetry book with fifty poems that date back as far as twenty years. They all deal with the insanity of life, death, love, loss and the road.
Laced through it all, the tapestry of my life, is the always present coffee and cigarettes.
My Father’s Ashes
My father died while I was drunk
Funeral missed with a hangover
My sister read a letter I had written
None of it true
Shooting coffee in my veins
26 hour drive
My mother’s house was full
No one mentioned my absence
Angry looks from some
Disdain from others
Quietly I looked at his things
Remembering
Hating all the same
I found his ashes
Placed in an urn my mother chose
I picked it up and left
No one noticed me slip out the back
We went for a drive
Without forced conversation
Ten years later All forgotten
I took my father to New Orleans
His beloved New Orleans
Red beans and rice at Bayona
Beignets at Café D’Monde
A walk through Jackson Square
I drove him to Biloxi
A beach he’d loved
Wild youth and dreams untried
I left him there among the sand
And warm ocean current
I never loved my father
But that day
I did.


This is so very believable coming from you.
I think it’s a sweet, and wonderful send-off.
You have reconciled and made peace in your own special way.
Good! Good!
Thanks for the words tree-man..
Forrester..Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the kudos..
Hey Tree-Man..Thanks for checking out the excerpts!!!!
I dig you digging around
[...] and some people one the street you wish to change their lives, this beautiful book – Hope in the Well of Angst, for your every day joy and inspiration. when you are done with this one – go on to the next [...]
A lovely and moving poem.
this is unbelievably good
poetryfromthebackofmyhand.wordpress.com
Thanks Katherine…I went and checked out your stuff..I like the way you write…
Thanks for adding me, you be added as well! *Smiles*
a good solid work/ thanx for yr sharing
Thank you
I loved this poem. I can relate so much to it. Beautiful.
I have been admiring your work… this is a terrific piece. Your words weigh heavy and full of meaning. Kudos. Truly
Now if only I could find an agent and publisher that feel the same way…..Thank you again
Holy…! This is incredible!
(grin) Checking out the old stuff eh?….Nice!
Real story BTW
Peace
I “felt” it was true. You are so skilled at writing about complicated relationships and complex emotions. There’s something profound about finding a way to love your father at least for a moment in Biloxi, Alabama on a roadtrip with his ashes. This is really beautiful.
Deep thanks Me Lady….It was a hard one to write..It was also the first I ever posted…
Peace
Solid. Straight from the gut, Leigh. Very strong sentiment and nice brevity of language.
Ah thank ya, thank ya very much…