A Father's Love Revealed

You were often busy, life was hard,
Bills and kids and wife and work,
Many a day I grumbled about the trash, the yard,
You were strict and firm and, I thuoght, a jerk.

I would fight anyone who said something mean,
But for myself, I felt unloved, unapproved of,
So many things in life, however, remain unseen,
So self absorbed we are we do not see the love.

It was so late I came to know the you you hid so well,
It was so late I could appreciate who you are,
It was so late I learned the struggles you would not tell,
It was so late, but not too late or too far.

I came to know you, through my own daughters and son,
I came to know the little things it took to be you for me,
I came to know you weren't mean, but really rather fun,
I came to know, so late in life, the things you'd not let me see.

Today you're gone, but not so far gone to forget,
Today I can smile at the times we had after I came to see,
Your inspiration, your stubborn pride, your jaw firm set,
All came so late but not too late for me.

I had time to tell you, to say the words for you came hard,
I had time to thank you, for all the lessons learned,
All these things you did for me, you did like a modern bard,
You did in your way, in your manner, your word.

Thanks dad . . . father . . . pop, for all the times we shared,
I hope I learned, come close to what you hid,
Thanks for all the ways you showed you cared,
Whatever cosmic place you soul came to reside,

Happy Father's Day . . . and thank you.