Father’s Day Without Dad

Yes, I miss you, dad,

I wasn’t going to write for this day,

My goal was to keep busy,

To not think too much.

But ‘busy’ didn’t keep the thoughts away,

Just made me sweat as they flowed.

And instead of tears (though some slipped out),

Were feelings of how fortunate I was to have you as dad.

You taught me the value of a good days work,

And that a job worth doing, was worth doing well.

You showed that toughness should be laced with compassion,

And that a kind word can go further than a frown.

So, though I miss you each and every day,

And was left with the emptiness of the loss of you,

I have been lucky to have had a man such as you,

To have learned from and to have had as ‘Dad’.