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Attribution: Broken Sphere
Image: Japanese Occupation Currency (here)
Red Wolf Poems/We Wordle #19
The 23 chosen wordle words out of 35:
docked palette float hallucinations painter art
brush crooks surface boat kill waterways murky
wallow dissecting,
truth sparkling used
foreboreding spiral vision,
curve, wanton
My late grandfather was a colorful man
He docked himself with influential people in
Government. His palette pointed to hues
of colors that float around those he dealt
with in business. He had hallucinations
of a painter and his art to his masterpiece.
He had designs of a conglomerate of his own.
It was taking
shape as he had hoped
He nurtured it well
But bad elements were there
He brushed them off
He did not anticipate crooks all along
could surface with uncanny precision.
They rocked the boat aiming to kill
Business rivalries took destructive forms
The waterways turned murky
He did not wallow in self-pity
He succeeded in dissecting the truth
with a sparkling display of brilliance
and determination. He succeeded
in bringing his business interests under
one roof. Things were working out well
But he had forebodings of a downward spiral
where he saw his vision took a curve downwards
But the way it came about was not
how he had anticipated
how he had anticipated
No, he did not succumb to the crooks
No, he did not lose support from those
of his friends in government or otherwise
No, the business climate was booming
Instead it came in the form of wanton
destruction of the Japanese Occupation
leading to World War II
The country fell the administration collapsed
The infrastructure destroyed.
Economic activities were at a standstill.
Economic activities were at a standstill.
The will to survive a war was paramount
Business took a backseat
Such a brave man but such a sad end..I liked your grand pa..
ReplyDeleteHow sad that your grandfather was the victim of an invasion which led to such a disaster as bankruptcy and 'destroyed soul'.
ReplyDeleteWow, so much to go through and to stay strong...not wallow in self pity that is the strength of a man and to know what's more important. Sounds like a great man your grandfather!
ReplyDeleteThe side of war we rarely see.
ReplyDeleteYou should write a story about your grandfather - this poem points to so much more that could be said.
Was too young then to know first hand. These are anecdotes related by elders of what could have been. Would certainly make great stories otherwise. Thanks Alex!
DeleteHank
What tragic circumstances, Hank. Sounds like your grandfather was a good and honest man, worked hard for what he achieved, but lost it all when the Japanese arrived. The second last line is poignant. I am sure that the will to survive was the strongest will of all at that time.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather and his family were affected by japanese occupation of the Phil. ~ As he was half American, they went into hiding and helping the allies when they could ~ That was a black moment in our history as a lot of ancestral homes were destroyed by the WW2 ~ Business certainly took a backseat ~
ReplyDeletebeen awhile Pareng Hank... I'll try to visit blogs regularly. thanks for holding on.
ReplyDeletereading this, i thought reading my grandfather's story. nice write as usual.
Pareng JJ
The historic significance of this remembrance is not lost on me. I always believed that every family history is World History. Thank you for your contribution to "our" story and the sharing of yours! Well told!
ReplyDeleteFascinating story. I'm intrigued by the color/painting imagery.
ReplyDeleteoy life takes its turns now doesnt it...scary too when you have that forboding...i am glad at least in the beginning he succeeded in spite of...but at some point survival becomes more important than business for sure...
ReplyDeleteseems your grandfather was quite resourceful and strong willed...and that's the most important thing in life i think....well penned Hank
ReplyDeleteSurvival instincts take hold to keep us alive and fighting
ReplyDeleteWWII was my childhood legacy, the Japanese internment camps, the POW camps, the confiscated business & property of second generation Americans; stolen, destroyed, never returned. Your poem is sterling. Our grandfathers seem to have shown up a lot for this prompt.
ReplyDeleteSounds like he worked hard and kept his spirits high even with all the crap going on around him.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad legacy to destruction of war... you might do your best, but against the unexpected we are always the losers...
ReplyDeletei think many succesful businessmen struggled during the war and for some it was the end of their business... a rough time
ReplyDeleteGreat story Hank, the resilience our parents and grandparents displayed is remarkable. Thanks for sharing this great story, enjoyed it very much.
ReplyDeleteWhat a colorful, engagingly articulated, family history. I was particularly struck by the line: His palette pointed to hues of colors that float around those he dealt with in business. An excellent write, Hank.
ReplyDeletesometimes the times are a tidal wave that cannot be resisted.
ReplyDeleteGlad the wordle helped you tell your story.
ReplyDelete