Written on November 5, 1989 for my son's 9th. birthday. Posted here in honour of Father's Day...

A father is a million things
Of great and small renown
Sometimes he is a Superman
At other times a clown

At times he is an ogre
And at other times a Saint
It depends upon his patience
Or emotional restraint

Sometimes it seems he never hears
Or even seems to care
But really you're a part of him
And he does know you're there

It's just that fathers get tied up
With trying oh so much
To make a better world for you
He is sometimes out of touch

With the need to be so many things
He sometimes lacks the time
To listen to your precious words
Or share a nursery rhyme

He must be gentle, and yet firm
To run his family's ship
To pilot you as best he can
Along life's stormy trip

A father is a million things
A fixer-up of kites
A pillar and a beacon
Upon dark and stormy nights

He's the one who takes you to the park
And gives your swing a shove
A father is a million things-
But most of all-he's love!