A Father's Day Poem

My father left my mother when I was about to turn three years old. The last time I saw him he was standing at the window, outside the house, looking in. I saw him and walked to the window trying to get his attention. I assume now that he was looking for my mother because they had split up one of their many times. He was there for only a minute or two, but what I remember most is that he never looked down at me the whole time.

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Full title:
A Fatherless Poem from a Fatherless Father

Father’s Day once belonged
to the man who gave us birth.
Whose loving hand upon our shoulder
should have signaled worth.
Whose strong, but gentle leadership
should have shown us to our purpose.
Whose character and integrity
should have been our fortress.

Father’s Day once belonged
to the man who gave us life.
Whose commitment to his God
should have helped us handle strife.
Whose involvement with his children,
and love for their mother,
should have strengthened our resolve
and moved us on much further.

Father’s Day once belonged
to the man who gave us being.
Whose love for our mother
should have taught us about feeling.
Whose faithfulness at work
should have taught us to be loyal.
Whose self-respect in life
should have taught us to be royal.

Father’s Day once belonged
to the man who caused me to exist.
But from this day on things have changed,
and his failures I resist.
Father’s Day now belongs to me,
and I am to be the one,
who demonstrates my love,
for my daughter and my son.

I am the one whose hand
on their shoulder should signal worth,
because I am the one
who gave them life through birth.
Whose strong, but gentle leadership
will help them find their purpose.
Whose character and integrity
will be their constant fortress.

Whose commitment to my God
will help them handle strife.
Whose love for their mother
will inspire love and life.
Whose faithfulness at work
will lead them to be loyal.
Whose self-respect in life
will teach them to be royal.

Father’s Day once belonged
to another not deserving,
but, Father’s Day now belongs
to me.