deepundergroundpoetry.com

Stepping Into Dad's Shoes.

 
               
 
Tears fall to his cheeks from the woman that loved him
Ill such a short time and nobody could save him
The mother of his children aged three and seven
Now has to tell them their Dad’s gone to heaven
But she’d face that tomorrow, take time to draw breath
To get over the shock of her husbands death
 
Time with her family while they took away machines  
Then a final goodbye behind all the screens
Leaving him behind as she walked to the car
Was the hardest thing she had done by far
The long journey home was so full of sorrow
How was she ever going to face tomorrow
 
She hadn’t left his bedside for twenty four hours
All she could see now was funerals and flowers
Unable to see passed the two weeks ahead
Telling the children their father is dead
“He was really ill, he died and now he’s in heaven”
She told her eldest, a young boy of seven
 
He ran to the kitchen, curled up in a ball
Tucked between washing machine and the wall
No words of comfort stopped the tears for a while
‘Til Nan’s words of wisdom through his tears made him smile
“You’re the man of the house now with Mum to look after”.
“As well as looking out for your three year old sister”.  
 
Choking on tears of her own as she cried
With her seven year old grandson, who’s father had died.
They gave him the task of telling his sister
Brought into the room, he bent down and kissed her
“Daddy has died and gone up to heaven”.
He said to his sister, this young boy of seven
 
Too young to really understand about death
She went back to playing while we held our breath
In the few weeks that followed she heard people say
“I’m sorry to hear you’ve lost your husband today”.
In her little mind she thought Mum had just lost him
All she had to do was go out and find him
 
If only death was that simple, or indeed life
He’d be back here with his children and wife
But it wasn’t to be, he’s no longer around
His body lay buried deep in the ground
With his soul just lazing around up in heaven
Looking down on his wife and daughter…..  
And now a young man of seven.
 
I dedicate this poem to my Son-in-law, who died suddenly early in January 2009. He left my Daughter a widow at the age of 34 with two children. The youngerst, a girl aged three, and a son aged seven. I was asked, but couldn't write anything by way of a eulogy for the funeral. I felt too close to it all.
Months later I regretted it, but it was too late. So the poem was born, albeit too late. And its not even about him, but his children, mainly his son. Its here anyway, for you to read in his memory.
Written by lendavies (Len davies)
Published | Edited 14th Jul 2012
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
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