A Poem for Dad

Early last year, I began writing a poem for my Dad. I wanted to do something special for him for Father's Day. My father was a man like no other. He loved everybody and he never judged. Even if he didn't like you, you'd never know it. He helped anyone he could. He gave me and my brother a great childhood, we rarely wanted for anything. He took such good care of my mother. He taught me so many valuable lessons, which at the time, seemed useless. But as I have gotten older, I have found the lessons and advice prove to be more useful than, I think, he even realized they would be. I wanted to honor that and him.

He unfortunately passed away before I completed it. I was too heartbroken over losing him and too overwhelmed with a new baby that I couldn't even fathom the thought of finishing it in time for Father's Day. But over the last few months, I have given it a second look and have finally completed it with an alternate ending.

So, this is for you Dad. A little something to tell you how much you mean to me and how lucky I am to have you as my Dad. I love and miss you always.

A Poem for Dad

A little girl's daddy is her first love. 

He is the man that will raise the bar for all other men that come into her life. 

He is her first protector. 

She will love him unconditionally and look up to him. 

She looks to make him proud. 

He teaches her. 

He teaches her the lessons she needs to take care of her self and protect herself. 

He teaches her to use her hands, to fix her car and install a new faucet. 

He guides her. 

He guides her in the direction that can best protect her and make her better than him. 

But when she chooses her own path, he is there to cheer her on when it goes well. 

And he's there to pick up the pieces and set her straight when she falls. 

He loves her. 

She will defy him, disappoint him and make him mad. 

She will make him happy and proud. 

Through it all, he loves her. 

He lets her go. 

He gives her to another man with faith that he has taught her well. 

That she has chosen the right man. 

That he has taught her as much as he can to make her successful in her own life. 

He watches her.

He watches her manage her own life, making her own way in the world. 

He watches her build a home with her husband. 

He boasts with pride when she begins a family of her own. 

He watches her raise that family the best she can with all the tools he has given her. 

He dies. 

But even in death, he will continue to protect, teach, guide and love her. 

He still watches her.