On Grandpa's Swing

by HarryT

When I visited my grandparents
On the south side of Chicago
My grandfather would come home from
His job at the Chicago stockyards
Take a bath and we would have supper

When we finished eating and I had helped
Gram with the dishes, he would
Fetch a small portable radio
Take me by the hand and as the sun sunk
Painting the sky with purple and pink
We’d sit on the front porch swing

He’d dial the war news
I had an uncle in the Navy
Somewhere in the South Pacific
After the news, he’d turn to music
My favorite part of sitting with him was
He would tell me parts of his life story
Not all of it at one time, just parts

He told me about his days as a boy
On a farm in rural Poland
Serving in the Russian army
Coming to America
Being a passenger in steerage
Ellis Island
Working in coal mines in Pennsylvania
Riding the rails, as he would say, to Chicago
Deciding it was better not to be a rail bum
Getting a job, digging ditches for Edison
Meeting his love, Bernice
Getting an inside job in the stock yards and
Feeling sorry for the animals, he said
He avoided looking at their soulful eyes as
They walked down chutes to their deaths

But most of all, he loved to tell me
How great it was to be in America

He's been gone a long time now
I miss our times on the porch swing
However, I am thankful for the time
We had together

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Child's time with a Grandparent writing prompt entry

Writing Prompt
Through the eyes of a child (under 12): In any style of poem, be the child describing time spent with a grandmother or grandfather. The poem could be a description of relationship, emotions, activities etc. Fact or fiction.

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Love listening to Grandpa tell his story

On Grandpa's Swing

by HarryT

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