Father's Day
A gift for you on Father's Day,
What on Earth could it be?
I know the gift you really want,
Is to once again, have me.
Or perhaps the gift of understanding,
To make sense of a senseless loss.
I'm sorry, my dearest daddy,
But for those gifts you must talk to the Boss.
The gift that I can give today,
Are memories, both sad and sweet.
From the touch of your hand on mummy's tummy,
To my tiny little feet.
Remember the joy you felt inside,
When you found out you would be my daddy?
The great big smiles upon your face,
You were over the moon, you were so happy.
Remember when you felt me move,
The wonder and love you'd feel?
Remember it today daddy,
It just might help you heal.
Remember the little cuddles we had,
And the moments that we shared.
Remember my little button nose,
And the colour of my hair.
I love you my dearest daddy,
You know that this is true.
Just keep your memories of me alive,
And I will always live in you.
Sharon Swinney
copyright 1995
Men Do Cry
I heard quite often "men don't cry"
though no one ever told me why.
So when I fell and skinned a knee,
no one came by to comfort me.
And when some bully-boy at school
would pull a prank so mean and cruel
I'd quickly learn to turn and quip,
"It doesn't hurt," and bite my lip.
So as I grew to reasoned years,
I learned to stifle my tears.
Though "Be a big boy" it began,
quite soon I learned to "Be a man."
And I could play that stoic role
while storm and tempest wracked my soul.
No pain or setback could there be
could wrest one single tear from me.
Then one long night I stood nearby
and helplessly watched my son die.
And quickly found, to my surprise,
that all that tearless talk was lies.
And still I cry, and have no shame,
I can not play that "big boy" game.
And openly, without remorse,
I let my sorrow take its course.
So those of you who can't abide
a man you've seen who's often cried,
reach out to him with all your heart
as one whose life's been torn apart.
For men Do cry when they can see
their loss of immortality.
And tears will come in endless streams
when mindless fate destroys their dreams.
--Ken Falk
