Remembering Dad

As I stood and watched him sit,

In his easy chair once more,

I know that he was thinking,

When death would be knocking at his door…

My Uncle Frank and Aunt Eva were retired,

And were there just about every day,

While the rest of the family was working,

They always helped Mom and watched Dad fade away…

Then the call came at work,

It was my Uncle Frank on the phone,

He said Dad was rushed to the hospital,

And that I should come home…

But I visited Dad by his bedside holding his hand,

The doctors told me there was no hope,

They told me to leave him and go home,

It was something so hard to cope…

As I was walking out the door,

I heard him taking his last breaths,

Drifting in and out of a coma,

And facing certain death…

As I arrived at home,

I saw Uncle Frank and Aunt Eve,

They were consoling my mother,

All knowing Dad was ready to leave…

Just a few minutes had gone by,

And I heard the telephone,

It was the doctor telling me,

Dad was gone and Mom would be alone…

This was the most difficult poem I have ever written,

I cried uncontrollably bringing back this nightmare

of the loss of my father in January of 1988.

I cherish every memory of my Dad, he was

one of the best fathers anyone could ever have.

The 24th anniversary of his death is January 6, 2012.

He was a First Lieutenant, paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne,

and made 13 jumps into enemy territory

and received the Bronze Star for bravery.

He was only 5'4" tall but made of steel.

Every one of his men came home safely,

but he did lose many of his friends.

Bobemakk@optonline.net ©2012