A Father to Me
by Cynthia E.  Jones

June, 2004

Thank you for your words of strength, for your teachings and helping me to grow into the person I am today...........

There are too many wonderful Fathers of Literature that have influenced me through out the years.  I can not mention them all here.  A good place to start is  The Literature Network, There are many wonderful literary works to choose from. A few names from the list include William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Homer and Bram Stoker. Now these are simply a few of the wonderful authors that have given us inspiration and literary teachings. I focused on these due to their distinctive writings.  When I was in High School my drama class read and performed Bram Stoker's Dracula. It was an incredible but chilling tale and has stuck with me all these years.  It's  reading would be enjoyed by anyone.  My Mythology and Legend class read Homer's Iliad and I believe it was the most magnificent book I have ever come across.  I must admit though, without my teacher's guidance at that time I do not think I could have or would wanted to have read it.  Through the introduction of Homer and his writings, I also discovered his Odyssey that is even more challenging but equally gratifying to read.

My Dad has also been a great influence in my life.  He is not a writer or a literary buff, but very much deserving of a poem and I have tried to do him justice with my words.  It is sometimes easier to write our feelings when we can not express them out loud.  We are able to tell a story with incomplete sentences and getting to our point rather quickly. It is my belief that Poetry is a wonderful honor or tribute. In honor of my Dad, I have written the following.

"When I Was Your Girl"

When I was little I was your girl,
little did I know of this ole world.

You held your temper so many times
with countless pets, you didn't mind
our toys strung over the floor,
coming in late...slamming the door,
lights left on... you set your alarm.
You kept us safe; You kept me from harm.

Our family was so young you lost your leg.
We went through hell in so many ways.
You fought those demons you fought for life,
little did you know we fought too;
...your kids and wife.

We almost lost you again and again,
each time a struggle we suffered the pain.

What would happen to us without you.
You're the rock that guided us through;
Winters, strikes, Grandpa passed
and when Aunt Hattie died.

Life has changed the old house gone.
A new one sits we have moved on.
I'm grown with mine and past behind
but I still can remember it well...
When I was little and I was your girl...

I would also like to suggest that you visit Poetry Galore! and USA Patriotism! There are several Father's that have shared their own experiences through love and loss with families and life's lessons.  You can also find Poetry dedicated to Fathers. There has been much thought and design dedicated to writing and accepting writings from others for your enjoyment. It is a good place to spend some quality reading time and to be inspired.

Happy Father's Day to my Dad and every Dad!