I am looking for a poem by John Updike or John Ciardi. The subject
includes the words
"My son, my son." From 1965-1975

Hello phab-ga,

It is conceivable that more than one poem by John Updike or John
Ciardi from this time period contains these words -- "my son, my son"
is not an unusual phrase.  (A Google search for this phrase produces
about 10,300 results:
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=%22my+son+my+son%22
).

In any event, here is a passage from John Ciardi's translation of
Dante Alighieri's Purgatorio that contains this phrase -- "My son, my
son, turn here with whole assurance."  It is in the first passage on
this page:

"'Journey and Transformation - Purgatory'" (a sermon preached by the
Reverend Barbara D. Morgan on Sunday, August 23, 1998 at Community
Unitarian Universalist Church in Daytona Beach, Florida)
Community Unitarian Universalist Church
http://www.dbcuuc.org/sermons/980823.html

While Ciardi's version of Dante's Purgatorio appears to have initially
come out in 1961, there was also a 1970 edition, and indeed, some
sources attribute his version to that date.  Thus, it fits right in
the middle of the time period you have identified.

"The Purgatorio by Dante Alighieri, Translated by John Ciardi"
Seminary Co-op Bookstore
http://www.semcoop.com/detail/0451627148

"Ciardi, John" (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.  2001)
Bartleby.com
http://www.bartleby.com/65/ci/Ciardi-J.html

I hope that this information is helpful.

- justaskscott-ga


Search terms used on Google:

"my son my son"
"my son my son" ciardi
"john ciardi" purgatorio
ciardi purgatorio 1970

[I searched for other terms as well, but the terms I have mentioned
resulted in the pages I have cited.]