For Pop (Contest Repost)

B July 4, 1907 - D Jan 3, 1983

You never had it easy, did you Dad?
Losing your family when you were just a lad
Left in the aftermath the three of you
You, your brother and a sister too.
Shuffled hither and yon from pillar to post
Orphaned by those who should have
Loved you most

You and Mom raised a family of five,
Three voracious boys and half
        The neighborhood too
I still marvel at the miracles you and Mom
        Wrought….
Working hard from morning till night,
The only way you knew to show us your love

As we got older we started to call you Pop,
The family grew with wives and their kids
Your affection grew too, your health hit the skids.
Diabetes, Slipped discs, suspected Parkinson’s too,
Still didn’t serve to slow you down much.
It was all simply an inconvenience to you!

Finally though, your eyesight failed,
You still tended your garden, and your chickens too
Canning your produce, sharing all your blessings.
But Pop, I remembered how your spirit still sailed
High above on Eagle’s wings
To think of you now, makes my heart sing

We never really wanted for anything, you saw to that
A lesson I am afraid I failed to learn till too late.
I have been a failure I guess, to your legacy
Except I hope, for your capacity to love and accept
        Others in spite of difference and fault.

Finally, death began to knock at your door
But you lived on your terms, made your own choices
You sat through a heart attack, to attend Sunday services
For the first time I saw the light dimming in your eyes
Then just before the journey to complete your 72nd year
       You left us for your Heavenly home

Pop, I am so sorry that I was not there
To tell you my final goodbye,
Your presence I feel almost every day
Amid memories of family dinners and stories told
       You still stand strong and bold,
And, when I am lonely, and quake in my fear……
I go back in my mind, to sit and talk with you there