Fathers Poem

By Sue Ellson

I have a father
And a father has me
On the journey of life
We find a way to be

I have a father
Who watched me grow
He taught me so much
About what seeds to sow

I have a father
Who has made a few mistakes
Now that I am grown I can see
That life is so much more than tea and cakes

I have a father
Full of hopes and fears
Of dreams won and lost
And silently shed tears

So when I look back
I feel for my Dad
I didn’t come with instructions
I don’t want him to feel sad

Because I wouldn’t be here
If it wasn’t for him
He is my wheel
I’m just the rim

For he is my strength
Be it right or wrong
He is mine and I am his
Together we will always belong

Then one day when one of us
Doesn’t breathe any more
The other will carry on
Based on memories afore

And we will give thanks
To be a part of each other
We will rejoice
As we learn to hover

In our thoughts
Or in our dreams
We will reflect
And sew the final seams

Of the rich tapestry we’ve created
In moments of time
In ceremonies
In stories
In words
In actions
As we will find our own peace
As we carry on
Together forever
Us two in one

Today is Father’s Day in Australia and I, along with many other Victorians, will not be seeing my Dad (who lives in Adelaide). None of us would exist without a father and every father / child relationship has its ups and downs. However, what always survives is the sense that we are a part of our father and that to accept ourselves, we accept our father.

Today in particular, we celebrate the love that we feel for our father – after all, we wouldn’t be here without him! I also understand that there are some people who have had a very difficult relationship (past or present) with their father, adopted father, father-in-law or chosen father and I hope that I was sensitive enough in this poem to acknowledge the inexplicable components of this human bond. Thanks Dad, for everything – I am so grateful. With love, Susanne Ellson 🙂