Thu | Mar 28, 2024

Poems

Published:Friday | June 15, 2018 | 12:00 AM

 

Be the father that is needed

 

More than your sexual prowess

an ambitious seed bolting to the finish line

laying claim to an egg

more than the surname

signalling immortality

I left evidence of my existence

more than all the conscious or unconscious

flexes with bravado

pounding on the chest

see me/applaud my manhood

more than anything

is the child that sings out

daddy daddy daddy

remain steadfast and guide

be the example of commitment

son and daughter need you equally

to be present in all ways in their lives

stand under the sun and shade of love

be the love that's as enduring as yam

be present in the present and show up

constant as the sun gliding across the day

be the father who listens as well as directs

who stands at the crossroads

of life to ensure that your progeny

has a path to walk and even if there're brambles

he will know how to navigate

she will measure her strength

against the magnitude of your

consistent presence that is

rock and soft place to shelter

because you're father and daddy

protector and advocate

modelling a love as perennial and revered

as the guango tree.

- Opal Palmer Adisa

 

Ciao dad

 

I went away to a far and distant land

I started to get depressed and feel sad

He told me I should be a woman and stand

"Cheer up", He said, "and try to be glad".

I told him I missed him and wanted to come home

He said be brave and try to make it on your own

I cried and said I have no one and I am feeling the distance syndrome

He assured me that we can sometimes use the phone.

I got the news that He was not well.

I asked my siblings what to do now?

They said He is strong and that He has a good cell

I got the sad news that He died without saying ciao.

Hortense Francis

 

My Father

 

 

I thought it was wonderful that he was well read

For he had all the answers for questions in my head

I remember I thought that he knew everything

He played songs on the piano, my grandmother would sing

I remember his poise, his ease and his charm

Even in chiding, he was still warm

We'd run to the front, each child for to see

The man who was standing by the front door

There were hugs and kisses or a swing for all four

We giggled and laughed as each one would soar

He was handsome and bright, athletic and wise

I saw his strength in so many ways

He never got ruffled, hummed when unsettled

And cared for the old an downtrodden

He made excellence his goal, serving his country

Made time for his friends with many a party

He held a presence whenever he entered a room

Yet the kindness in his eyes was something to behold

His memory lives on, so vivid and clear

And I really wish that he was still here.

- Winsome Miller-Rowe

 

A proud father

 

The husband of my mother,

A proud father of his children.

Aggressive but affectionate,

Rough and tough.

Masculinity personified.

A God-fearing man.

An early bird, never late for work nor church.

A humble brown man from rural environs,

A man whose strength is that of many lions.

Easy to talk to, a big story teller.

Oh I remember those Anancy stories.

The riddle me this, riddle me that.

A lover of sports especially cricket.

And he can tell you all about the wicket.

Some call him Bullon, don't mess with him.

Some call him Smiley, he will make you smile from ear to ear.

An entrepreneur, a truck driver he was,

A retiree he is.

Farmworker, ship worker,

A traveller with many different experiences

Hardworking, helpful and warm

Irie man, a real Jamaican man

My defender, my supporter and my promoter

I am blessed to have a father,

Who thinks and speaks only the best of me.

A father who always listened to me and never molested me

A father who always prayed for me to be happy and prosperous

He is not rich but his love for me is,

He nurtured my confidence.

And always encouraged me to be bold and strong

With him I am never wrong.

I am his princess and the apple of his eye.

His love for me extends beyond the sky.

- Erika Heslop Martin

 

Daddy you taught me -Tribute to Daddy

Daddy you taught me

Many a thing

Trust God and serve Him

Money's not everything

Follow your passion

Read, learn and grow

Find creative ways

To teach what you know

Whatever you work at

Give it your best.

Always remember

A change is like a rest.

Be a good parent

Spare not the rod,

Cultivate in your children

A true heart for God

Respect authority

Always be polite

Ask God to help you

Fight the good fight

Look for the bright side

God will always come through

What seems like a setback

Will work out better for you

Daddy, you demonstrated

How to accept with grace

The challenges you met

Near the end of life's race

Now your Mission's Accomplished

You've fought the good fight

So till we meet again,

Rest well Dad, Goodnight.

Sharon Earle-Edwards