In Memoriam

Dad

The smell of your clothes, sweat and soil,
The feel of your hands, rough with toil,
The hair of your head, brushy and thin,
Few wrinkles line your sun-tanned skin.

Your teeth, not perfect, form a lovely smile,
And eyes of blue, that hold no whiles,
Average of height, with frame quite strong,
A belly that matches with eating too long.

Feet pale and freckled, in boots all day,
Moustache like a brush, spritzed with grey,
A face by turns: serious…humorous…joyous,
Arms full of strength, your joints weariness.

A hairy chest, with manly structure,
A broad back always strong, ever sure.
Your voice is deep but smooth with care,
Calves springy-stout, muscled thighs upstairs.

No one can see the love in your breast,
But everyone sees it, nonetheless,
Strength and compassion hidden from sight,
Invisible things, apparent as Light.

This is you Dad, on this day you died,
When manly vigor had not left your side,
The only part that failed you today,
Was your heart that broke and you flew away.

But you left me your smile, your eyes mine too,
My hands are not yet rough, but will be soon,
My garments as yours, smell of sweat and dirt,
And someday like yours did, my joints will hurt.

My voice not as deep as your manly tone,
But with it like you, I’m singing of Home,
Whiskers on my lip, not as greyed…coarse,
My hair’s still here, but we might get divorced.

My feet flat like yours, pale in boots too,
To carry me here, my long trip through.
To walk in the path you walked before,
To follow our Lord to distant shores.

You gave me your arms, and hairy chest,
Your muscles hard, to work with zest,
To use your strength for my family’s health,
To give them my all, for Heaven’s wealth…

This is Me, on this day you died,
When manly vigor has not left my side,
The only part that fails me today—
My heart has broke, you’ve flown away.

But with broken heart, I know as I live,
The gifts God gave you, He gave me to give,
To give them again to my son you loved,
That he too might pledge them to God above.

To travel his life, as you journeyed here,
As I followed you, he’ll follow me near,
I’ll show him the man we want him to be—
As he follows our way toward Eternity.

Of deepest prayers, that I pray below,
That he would come to Our Father and know,
How our Abba-Father, has led us with care,
And at our ways End, he’ll meet you There.