"Daddy Jack..."

Tomorrow' in the USA is "Father's Day" - 2012

I never met or even saw a single picture of my dad.  From the fourth grade on of course the other guys noticed that my sisters and I each had different last names and that neither matched our then current home mailing address.  Yes, there was a price we paid for that - even in a Catholic Parish's Grade School.

Jack was my next sister's dad.  How impressive is a person that I remember him today - so many years having passed.  I went to see him once several years after I joined the Marine Corp.  We were actually on the same side of the country AND within the same state!  He had a family and while they accepted me - well, too many years had passed without knowing and I hadn't yet learned how to forgive him for leaving me behind - I was four.  

 

"Daddy Jack..."

I remember -
  being held
  being teased
  your smile
  your words...

I remember -
  your voice
  your eyes
  your favorite things
  the little things...

I remember -

  the car

  the rides

  airborne after you passed over the bump

  "WHEEE THRILL!!"  said over and over

  - each planned time.

I remember -
  being at the fence -

  watching, crying
  reaching and reaching

  hurting so very bad

  you LEFT me...
 
I remember -
  empty sunsets
  silent rooms...
  you...
  and that you weren't mine
  afterall
...still.

Chris

Author's Note

Feel Free

Reviews

[Ed Hart]

we share a lot, old friend

[Phibby Venable]

How kind of him to love you as his own. He may have wanted very
much to take u with him. I like the way you handle things here and
the sense of honoring a man that was good to u when he didn't have
to be & how you do not cast stones.

[Renée]

(( Hugs))

[emmajoy]

(You) .. excuse that but it's how i feel after reading your words.

[Michael G.]

I respect your honesty in this poem and thought... not so much for your father... but for being able to overcome and deal with it when life hands you a lousy hand.

[Teri B]

How very sad, Chris!

[olla]

I have wonderful memories of my Father.. and now.. I wish that I could share him with you..