My Dad

My Dad

by Wayne Hinton

1/11/16

My dad was a strong and very macho man

So proud of his masculinity and good looks

You would never know by talking to him

About his love of people and good books.

He loved my mother without any doubt

They were together on this earth 54 years

And whenever there was any mention of her

It always brought him to subdued tears.

Dad never wanted to display emotion.

He thought that was a sign that he was weak.

He just never totally understood

That his strength was in all he would speak.

I was only six years old and kissed him goodnight

When he told me I was getting too old for that.

Little did he know at that time

How much I longed to be with him where he sat.

He never talked very much; it wasn't cool,

But his work was his pride and joy.

Although he toiled both day and night,

He never let me forget that I was his little boy.

Electricity may have been his focus

He studied it night and day when he was young,

Yet for every moment he was home

We listened to every word of his tongue.

We called home a lot and talked with mom

And dad would take the phone.

He never had very much to say, 

Even when we were very grown.

After mom died, it was apparent

That dad had a lot to say.

We talked on the phone every Sunday night

After Sixty Minutes was done for the day.

It's been ninety-eight years since he was born

And my thinking of him is more than I can bear

Because he and I did not talk enough

To know how much we care.