A poets lament

I watched my dad die today.

He will never get to see me graduate college.
He will never get to see me get married.
My children will never know him.
I won’t be able to hug him anymore when I go to his house.
My step mom is going to be so lost.
Family gatherings will never be as fun.

The greatest man I have ever known has vanished from this world.

I will never forget the last smile I got from him.
I will never forget his big belly.

I will do my best to continue to try and make him proud as he watches now from heaven.

I never imagined losing him so early in my life.

But the person he was no longer existed this last week.  When the jokes and the smiles stopped, I started to realize what was going to happen.

He is who made me, me.

My hero in times of distress.
My life-guidance counselor.
My mentor.

Now who is going to help me become a grill master.
I don’t have anyone to cook knapp with now.
I’ll keep making it though.  I’ll never forget.

I’m going to miss your hearty laugh.
I’m going to miss your big smile with the one tooth missing.
I’m going to miss your inability to dress yourself properly without Sharyl setting your clothes out for you.
I’m going to miss your dirty jokes.
There is going to be a gap so large in the place you once stood.