Daddy

I have been wanting to write a poem for my parents for along time. Today, for whatever reason, this one for my father came to me. My parents are about one month apart. This year they celebrate their eightieth birthday. What can I say about them? Since this poem is about my father I will start with him. He has been an extraordinary example to me of faith and certitude. I remember one fireside when he told someone that all he had to do if it was necessary is turn to god and he would move mountains, physically. My fathers certitude was such that to this day I truly believe him. He is amazing. He found the Bahá'í Faith on his own ten years prior to meeting my mother. He was asked to leave his Episcopal Church because he asked too many questions (questioning ones I assume). He always had wanted to live in the time of His Holiness Christ to know if he would accept or reject Him. At his first fireside he realized his dream had come true. He was told he had to read some books first. After his first week away he was asked what he had learned. He said that he learned that he was a Bahá'í and they could not tell him that he was not.
Because of my father and our Faith, we ended up in East Pakistan for several years where I contracted malaria and saw first hand the sufferings of humanity. How he approached life there and since has been an inspiration to me. It is accepted to write about ones parent and shower them with love and praise, I do not believe that my father is undeserving of this praise.
I hope this poem, which speaks from a son to his father, conveys even a small part of that love and devotion I think we all have for our fathers in some way. While it is true that all of my poems come from my heart and are about me or what is happening around me in some way, it is not often that I am brought to tears when I read them. This one is too close to my heart to avoid shedding tears.


DADDY

What can be said about a man
Without whom my words would never land
Through your eyes I grew and reached on high
Through you my heart and soul doth fly

On your own you found your way
To the most great message for this day
With certitude a wife did you find
My mother and you forever entwined

Your love for me did not outward show
To my young did you bestow
Your overt love, I did not know
Together through this love did we grow
An outlet for your love did He bestow

What you taught me I will not forget
I find myself without regret
Many a conversation we have had
Covering all both good and bad

You leave me no money, possessions or land
What you leave is so much more grand
You have taught me faith and certitude
No matter how dire things are, your attitude
For you I turn towards God with gratitude

Not many a man have I known
That can confront with firmness the unknown
With all your heart you reach out to me
Somehow knowing my destiny

Within me I carry you deep in my heart
For here or thereafter we shall never part
I can never thank you for my life
Having been born in such times of strife
I am blessed to have you as my father
Nurturing my soul to strive harder

Through you I can almost reach
Your father whom you did teach
I look to my young and wonder
Can I match you, or will I blunder
Somehow I already know
You will tell me how far I did go
And how much further I have to see
Before we rejoin in our destiny
I love you more than words can say
I think of you each and every day
You have helped me find my way
I love you
-Shiidon, May 2008