you
were an amazing father
you taught me to
believe
in myself
in God in love
in family in miracles
in old movies on a rainy afternoon
in grilled cheese sandwiches
you
got up with us kids
every day before school
making our breakfast
telling tall tales
“killing the biscuits” with the butter knife
you
taught us to love simple things
the sea sky and seagulls
the wind in our sails
July 4 fireworks and hot dogs at the beach
you
were an amazing husband
steadfast when
Mom was sick for decades
you
never complained
or made it about
you
or “took time off”
or felt sorry for yourself
even when she died
you
gave your next wife
the same care and thoughtfulness
and respect
and honor
you
were an amazing grandfather
mindful and present
you
listened more than you talked
making those kids feel like special starfish
you
were an amazing friend
collecting people like seashells
keeping them always
appreciating their beauty
their uniqueness
their worn-smooth spots
you
were an amazing role model
“what would Frank do”
a testimonial from friends
about your wisdom
you
never judged never condemned
but always remained authentic
about your beliefs
accepting without endorsing if
you
couldn’t agree or understand
you
were the most consistent
person I ever knew
like waves crashing to the shore
you
gave your heart completely
the whole package
with no strings
just acceptance and love
you
will be loved and missed
forever
your footprints on our heart-sands
you
amazing
you
Copyright 2017, Glover Gardens Cookbook
2024 update: this poem is being joyfully shared with the dVerse Poets Pub for the Feb. 15 Open Link Night, hosted by Sanaa. Go visit and you’ll find some wonderful poems submitted by other poets.
Note: beach photos are courtesy of Joie, one of the amazing granddaughters of the amazing and wonderful man.
Beautiful. Well done. Hope this expression of your love for him, helps you on your journey.
Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S7, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
Yes, definitely! Writing my feelings is part of processing the grief and that fact that he is no more – and yet, he is evermore. Does that make sense?
Beautiful tribute. I love the idea of “footprints on our heart-sands”.
Anabel, thank you so much. I grew up at the beach, from age 10 forward, and those were definitely our halcyon days. When I think of my Mom and Dad together, it is always accompanied by the sound of the surf and the seagulls and the smell of the sea. How about you? What sounds and smells do you conjure up when thinking of your family?
We lived by the sea too from when I was ages 5-11 so I remember many of the same things. I can guarantee that our sea would be colder than your sea though! I also remember shivering a lot. When my dad died a couple of years ago I looked out a few of the, for the blog, you can see them here:
https://anabelsblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/3-day-quote-3-dad/
Beautiful, Kim. We loved your poem.
Thank you so much. Dad/Frank is vibrantly alive in our memories.
He sounds like a very loving father, a loving tribute. 🙂
Yes, he was the best! I won the lottery in the Dad category.
Kim he looks like such a kindly human being. What a great picture of you two.
Such an amazing poem Kim. I am glad i stopped by.
Thanks for dropping by to read mine.
Much♡love
A heartfelt tribute, thank you for letting me feel the love and the spirit by sharing this.
What a beautiful picture of you with your dad! An amazing man, father, husband, friend, role model. The simple things in life we remember, the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. A lovely tribute.
What a beautiful tribute to your father! It brought tears to my eyes. ❤️
This is a wonderful tribute, so sad with a past tense, but still a gift that will continue giving.
Thank you! For me, Poetry = Catharsis. 💜💜
Such a heartfelt and loving tribute! Sigh … 🩷
Wonderful, Kim, I love that poem.
And feel again very connected to you, as on the 13th my grandma would have turned 102 and I republished my poem you already published a while ago.
On top my dad turned 80 in January and I wrote a poem for him as well (German though).
Big hug for you.
I’m really touched, I love a lot the “you” that comes back at least every 6th line and this one “you listened more than you talked making those kids feel like special starfish”.
Such a heartfelt portrait of a clearly wonderful human. I especially like the line “collecting people like seashells”–what a beautiful image. The love shines.
A beautiful tender ode to your father ❤️
He sounds like a good man. The repetition makes the poem so direct and clearly he will not be forgotten. I just lost my dad, in November.
Oh D., I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s a very different journey on this side of losing a father, isn’t it? Thank you for your comments and I look forward to reading your poetry as you share it. The poems on your blog today are lovely beyond words.
“Footprints on our heart-sands” beautiful metaphor, beautiful poem Kim…
Thank you so much.
What a wonderful testimony to love.
Thank you so much, that’s exactly what it is. Poems like this one are easy to write, for that very reason.
Yes, they flow from the heart