Dad

You were not perfect
But you were good.
You were decent
And I have only recently
Understood
The true meaning
Of that word
And what it can cost.
You were a man whose moral compass
Never seemed to falter,
Whose honesty would not alter
No matter what, in consequence, you lost.

You stood there quietly firm
Committed, through ups and downs,
To providing a safe home
For your wife and your three sons;
A solid rock upon which 
We have been able to build with ease.


In these steps I have tried to follow
Often stumbling; sometimes falling,
Falling short of the mark you set
But you always forgave my folly
Forgiving my hurtful failing
And this, above all, I’ll not forget.

(C) Barry Freeman - 21st March 2019
Copyright © | Year Posted 2021

Poem

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