His Hands Were Not a Wall

by The Hearth Voice

Original EveryPoem Studio house-voice poem.

His hands were not a wall. They were a railing: there when the stairs went dark, never closing the way. He could not stop the falling. He could stand within reach. This is the love I remember— not rescue, not command, but something steady beside the dangerous height.
48 words · 11 lines · Free Verse
fathersupportindependencemetaphorcontrastrepetitionfree-verse

How did this poem meet you?

Choose a genuine response. Counts appear only after several readers agree.

← More Poems for Father

More Poems Like This

Daughter at the Door

Editor's pick

He taught her how to leave: check the tires, carry water,

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 12 lines
fatherdaughterindependence

When He Let Go

The bicycle moved because his hand was gone. I shouted when I noticed,

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 12 lines
fatherchildhoodindependence

She Kept the Door

She did not keep me small. She kept the door: oiled the hinge,

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 12 lines
motherindependencehome

Sunday Shoes

On Sundays he polished his shoes at the edge of the bed, small circles, black cloth,

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 11 lines
fatherritualwork

His Own Way Home

I spent years teaching my son which road to take, how to watch the weather,

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 11 lines
sonagingindependence

The Way He Fixed Things

My father fixed the loose gate, the lamp with the stubborn switch, the bicycle chain that bit my thumb.

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 11 lines
fathercarerepair

Reader conversation

Thoughts from readers

No approved comments yet. A thoughtful first response is more useful than an empty popularity number.

Leave a thoughtful response

Discuss the poem, its images, or what it brought to mind. Every comment is moderated before publication.