don't get me wrong,
i still celebrate my dad
his wisdom, his hard work,
the hours he spent
teaching me to play ball,
to defend myself, to forgive.
but
father’s day
is a sad day for me
remembering good times
seeing the joy in his eye when Joe could
swim and ride a bike for the first time,
camping trips,
bedtime stories, holidays,
his sense of humor.
for nineteen years,
father’s day was a celebration of
being ‘Joe’s Dad’.
(really, a celebration of my son)
for twelve years,
father’s day has been
a somber reminder of his absence.
how many years will it take
to learn to celebrate father’s day
without Joe?
© 2024
