Years ago on Fathers' Day people would ask
what will you get from your children?
As if  it was some kind of competition.
And I would reply, "Nothing ... and that's
the way I like it. I'd rather my kids declined
to celebrate synthetic festivals designed
to part the young from spending cash."

It was not true to say they gave me nothing.
Then and even now when they are grown
and moved away to live their own lives
they bring me gifts of greater value
than any cheap gift shop tat.

The love, friendship and laughter we share,
the mermories of fun and childish games,
these are the things they give
not just on Fathers' Day but every day.
Both have cared, and given back
so much of what we tried to give them. So,
rather than giving nothing on Fathers' Day
as I asked, they give me the world.