Watching the Friday Night Fights with Dad

Dad watched the fights every Friday night
I learned that to be close to Dad
You watched the fights with him
We never talked directly to each other
Only through the televised action
On our old black and white Philco

Dad’s eyes never left the set
Occasionally he’d make fists
With his large calloused workingman’s hands
And throw a calculated punch here and there
I did the same
My smaller writer’s hands mimicking his jabs

Boxing seemed brutal
Downright Neanderthal
But somehow you knew–
Fighting was a real part of life
Completely inescapable
And any life situation could be the ring

As a seven-year old
I had no idea
That life was an endless boxing match
Not limited to Friday nights
Usually not a spectator sports
And most often, you had to be your own referee

Author: Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D.

Biography Writer, photographer, poet, and teacher. Holds doctorates in Divinity and Metaphysical Philosophy. Author of 20 books, including seven poetry books, nine photography, and four nonfiction books. Contact Information Contact Don Iannone by email: diannone@gmail.com

7 thoughts on “Watching the Friday Night Fights with Dad”

  1. Beautiful! In the end, the comparison with life as a boxing match, it sometimes seems like it is.
    Great work!
    Greetings, Eline (from Flickr)

  2. Thanks Dan, Polona and Andrew.

    Dan, Thought you would remember.

    Polona, thanks, and there are more sunset shots coming from last eve.

    Andrew, that is a nice thing to say. Thanks. Dad has been sick lately, He’s 86.

  3. that’s a great analogy…
    and wow, i just saw those sunset (?) photos!

    i’m fine, just busy with life, i reckon šŸ™‚

  4. I certainly do remember the Friday Night Fights. We watched ’em, too, although I wasn’t as observant as you.
    And I see your lesson and analogy.
    Good one, Don!

Leave a comment