If I close my eyes real tight
I can just
imagine him sitting
in his favorite
chair
with a cup of
steaming hot coffee
nestled in two
big hands
his bifocal reading
glasses perched
half-way down
his nose,
the way he always
liked...
with his music
turned up real loud,
strumming his
guitar,
trying to play
his tin whistle in time
with a favorite
jig.
If I try just
a little harder and
strain so close
to hear
I might just hear
him say
"Hey, Kathy, come
and listen" and
...he wouldn't
hush
until I came and
sat down beside him,
with the radio
up real loud
and his finger
across his lips as if to
warn everyone
that
I'm trying to
hear this marvelous song.
The song was always
worth the listen.
Now what am I
supposed to do?
He's not here
to prod me,
to challenge me,
to tease me and
to love me
in his own quiet
way.
What a loss I
feel today
and everyday...
I'm glad he knew
how much
we loved him.
When he breathed
his final breath
I was breathless...
the air was so
still...
He was at rest.
I wanted to scream
with the finality
of it.
You see, as his
fight ended,
mine just began;
the fight to keep
in control of myself
and to push myself
onward and upward
as he would have
wanted me to do.
Once again he
had to be a pioneer...
go on ahead,
blaze a new trail,
so we can find
our way
and follow closely
when our change
comes.
I hope he remembers
to mark the trail
the WAY
as he taught me,
so I will not
miss one single clue
I was always following
him,
and I won't stop
now.
I just hope he
makes a trail
big and wide
for he has a mighty
following of friends
and family who
miss him so...
And one day they'll
be tagging along behind him,
singing the "Wilderness
Road" and
"Sweet Betsy from
Pike".
I miss him always
and he's ever in my thoughts,
especially when
I hear the crows caw,
and feel the autumn
chill
in the crisp morning
air.
When the frost
gathers on the
brilliantly colored
leaves,
and the sky is
so blue it hurts
to look upon it.
When the fire
crackles and pops
and when a guitar
strums...
Well like I said
...always.
I was so proud
to be his proud daughter.