Dear Son (Haiku)

I understand and empathize with what this poem is trying to do, but I feel like I'm wanting more from the speaker. This poem may be better served with more concrete imagery. When did I know you needed me? When did I call you mine? I am eager to know a concrete image, anything that is descriptive of this relationship between parent and son.

I like the implication of an estranged relationship at the time this poem was felt. I can't comment much on the structure of it because, well, it's a haiku, and I am not educated enough of the intricacies of them to be any help, but from an emotional standpoint I think it's wonderfully poignant! I immediately assumed the narrator was the father, and didn't even realize it wasn't explicitly stated until I read it once more, I'm just in a turning point with my own and your words tugged at a nice little heart string I didn't notice was there! There's a certain lament already shown in the first line that's expanded on well, and I feel like there's a nice connection between the child needing their parent, and therefore the parent knowing their child was their own still.

I like the theme you're going for, but I feel there's an odd disconnect between the speaker and the listener.

It might just be how short a poem is, maybe a haiku wasn't the right choice for this theme, there just seems to be something lacking - an unfinished story of sorts.

Although, other people complain that there is not enough context, I absolutely love the message you communicate briefly, and was immediately clear for me: you, a father (or mother but I have an image of a father in mind primarily), try to reconnect with your son and let them know that you deeply care about them by recollecting a memory of a day where you could be there for them. It might be the case that you need to live through this experience either as a son or a father for this poem to elicit a strong feeling - which it did in my case.

I don't have any critique, I think this is great.

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