May He Rest In Peace

May he rest in peace, my father was not the kindest man At least to me he wasn't--he never ever said to me The most important words a boy will hear, "I love you, Son!" Never did he take me upon his knee to console me When I needed it most, when I was floundering in tears. He called for me, after years of silence, from his death bed, He wanted to see his eldest son, I wondered why, but I went, sat with him, placed cups of water to his parched lips; I rubbed his cold feet, and comforted him as best I could. He offered no excuse for his abusive behavior I knew he had no training in parenting, his father Accidently died when my father was merely thirteen. Written April 27, 2021