Poems

Dear Father

 

Dear father, thank you.

Thank you for always being there for me.

Thank you for being the best father that you could ever be.

Thank you for playing, praying and staying with me.

Thank you for protecting me and providing for me in every way.

Thank you for the love in everything that you say.

 

Dear father, I love you.

I love you despite all your flaws

And your strict parent, child, family laws.

I love you for all the sacrifices that you have made.

And I am not just talking about all the bills that you have paid.

I love you for all that you do.

And I am confident that you love me too.

 

God took the strength of a lion,

The warmth of a sunny day,

The calmness of a still river,

The beauty of a garden,

The wisdom of Solomon,

The patience of Job,

The power of vision,

The faith of a mustard seed,

The humility of a sheep,

The joy of a happy child,

The agility of a monkey,

And the love of family and mixed them all together.

Finally, when there was nothing else to add God said that his masterpiece was complete,

And so he called you father.

Dear father, thank you.

 

Erika Heslop Martin

 

 

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Father

 

Father,

Your name means so much to me;

It evokes strength, warmth, security;

The rational, whimsical, humorous one,

Who works hard and provides for everyone!

 

Father,

Your character gives me faith,

That I will someday find a mate;

An honest, kind, respectful man,

Beside whom I will proudly stand!

 

Father,

Your concern, when I am sad,

Has turned the tide and made me glad;

You comprehend unspoken words,

How oft my thoughts you have discerned!

 

Father,

You made home a place of joy,

You gave us more than gifts and toys;

You reared us like true Bourgeoisie,

In name and nature, that we'd be!

 

Father,

We're grateful for your love,

Your care, your exemplary standards;

We're delighted that you have seen,

How effective your love and care have been!

 

Father,

We'll continue to live our lives

With vision and courage undisguised;

Remembering all you sacrificed,

For us to be ethical, and upright, and wise!

 

Hyacinth Burgess-Gregory

 

 

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Celebrating Fathers

 

You’ve never been afraid

to change diaper

put him in a basin and soap him clean

 

hold your daughter close to your chest

pat her back until she burped

 

sit in the rocking chair and watch day

fold into night as you hum her to sleep

 

or get up in the middle of the night

after he cried and your wife nursed him

 

you paced the floor rubbing ice on his

teething gum repeating hush-hush

 

until he fell asleep snuggled in the fold

of your arms that have gone numb

 

You know how to brush her hair

tie in ribbons or decorate with barrettes

 

make porridge and coax her to eat

and not get upset when food spill on your

 

starched work shirt you quickly have to change

before taking them to school

 

you run around with them in the yard

make the hose a spray

teach them how to climb trees

pick a ripe mango

take them with you to the market

telling then the names of things

yam, pumpkin, chocho, dasheen

scallion, thyme, jackfruit, guinep

 

Sundays you take them to the beach

teach them to float and swim

kneel in the sand with them and

build sand-castle let them bury

you in the sand

 

you’re not afraid to laugh or play

peek-a-boo or say

daddy don’t know when they

ask where the sun goes when it sets

 

when he falls off his bicycle and bruises

his knee you lift him up and apply detol

you don’t admonish him and tell him

boys don’t cry tough it up

 

you know that being a man is

not just one thing

being a man is loving yourself

your wife and children

and not being afraid of being vulnerable

 

being a man is being there for your children

teaching them by example

how to love and care for one another

how to be soft and when to be hard

 

being a man is taking responsibility

for your children and providing

for them financially and emotionally

 

being a father is celebrating

love for yourself and your community

being a father is honour and dedication

and you wear fatherhood with pride and

a life-time commitment

 

Opal Palmer Adisa