Celebrating in Califrnia just prior to my wedding

A poem for my Dad

Dad teaching me to walk 60 yeara ago

A prayer for Dad

The family celebrating Dad's birthday

On a quiet early morning With the breeze in my brown hair There’s a distant sound of water And it’s then I feel you near. If I were a time traveler I’d ask you about the moon You’d tell me about how the airplanes fly And why they trail white plumes. You’d let us keep a baby bird And say he’d be alright And when he didn’t make it He would disappear at night. We’d watch the pine bough robin’s nest From the picture window side And the three blue spotted baby eggs That hatched and grew beside. (I always sent you bird houses and never really knew why.). And when there was a big snow You buried me in white With just my head above You would think it was a fright. But not to me, so safe and warm And watched from up above It felt like pure protection And a simple kind of love. (I’ve always loved the snow.) You built us a big hockey rink For all the kids to use And many days in summer Drove us to the TVA pool. We didn’t have a lot of things And needed very few But always learned the proper way And so, the proper tool. We could always see our shadows On the longest summer days As we jumped through sparkling sprinklers In a watermelon haze. You never took vacation Unless a home project was due But we managed a large garden And a little doghouse too. I never knew the hardships That you truly had endured The long commutes to Boston Or the worries of the war (Vietnam). (I do now.) Our Sunday drives were epic In a scary kind of way For when we drove to Portsmouth No one would dare get in our way. ( I think you created road rage.) And now we’ve come full circle On a trip that never ends For It simply changes color When we see many old friends. We had the time to finish And to say what wasn’t said For a time you were still here with us And now, we hang our heads. May God grant you every pardon May Christ keep you at his side Until we meet again, dear Dad May you carefully abide. And now in faith we send you Heartfelt messages of love And surround your quiet slumber With the peace of silent doves. I love you Dad!