My father,

Striding across the beach at dawn

The plank of wood his surf board.

Making sand castles with tunnels

Waiting for the waves to re-load

My father, 

Indulging whatever the new fancy was.

Waiting for me outside school.

Calling out my name just because

He liked to, the reason was moot.

My father, 

Laying his head on my lap 

As my legs went to sleep

Not daring to move, the football

On the radio could not keep.

My father,

Leaving meetings to watch me march

Or debate or act out a part. 

Waking nights by my side

when the fever would not subside

My father, 

My inspiration, my strength.

My go-to when things went wrong

“this is not the end of the world”

The words echo loud and strong.

 

My father,

Who I loved to climb on to

“I’m the monkey you’re the tree”

He agreed, braving my weight

Only the monkey now runs aimlessly.

 

My father, 

The cancer that took him

Could not define the man 

He lives on in every breath

I take for as long as I can. 

My father, 

Born this day, many, many moons ago

Moons that now cast no shadow

Died never, for Death is too weak

To take my father away from me.