DEAR DAD

Through my years of growing up
I felt I never knew you.
This wall you built (or was it me?)
just suddenly appeared.
No fault of yours, nor of mine,
we always seemed to be
Charging up for battles
of words and minds and wills.

It seems we've spent a lifetime
shoring up this wall.
But the years have passed
and looking back~
I'm sure that I recall
The times that solid, silent wall
would crack enough to see
The glimmer of love's hidden light. . .
shining out to me.

If I never REALLY loved you
(or missed what could have been~)
I have to stop and wonder why. . .
when I think real hard about you
My throat will start to ache
from years of uncried tears.
Was I just afraid to show my love. . .
(in case yours wasn't there?)

And if that's so I wonder, too
might you have felt the same?
A father and a daughter
so different~ so alike!
Will this wall never crumble
like ancient mortared rock?
Will we never stand toe to toe
and see only heart to heart?

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