Remembering Dad

I have been editing my poems in preparation for self-publication in book form.  Among the poems, the following one is appropriate for this coming Father's Day weekend.  It also connects with the new poem I published last week, Pondering Life, because it supports the fact that when we love a person who is no longer physically with us, the essence of who she/he was still remains. Every time we think about the many happy and beautiful moments shared with that loved one, he/she lives on.

Legacy

You are gone!

Just like that!

Quietly, serenely, decisively,

knowing your destination.

So many times before

during your long,

drawn out illness,

we thought about it,

spoke about it,

imagined it,

but now it’s done.

You are gone.

The piercing pain of loss

breaks our spirit.

It is done.

You are gone.

But…then again,

not completely.

A part of you lives on

in each one of us.

You are present

in that discerning smile,

unfaltering walk,

and persuasive talk.

You are present

in how we view life,

in how we live life,

in how we share life.

Yes….for many,

you are gone,

but not for us.

The essence of who you were

remains.

That’s your legacy.

How comforting to know,

Dad,

you are still with us.