Becoming The Man My Father Always Was <br />(for Brian D) <br /> <br /> <br />Each night <br />I would follow you <br /> <br />through the rituals <br />of what you had to do <br /> <br />being Daddy. <br /> <br />I wanted to be Daddy too. <br /> <br />Mimicking your gait <br />becoming an exact <br /> <br />copy <br />of you <br /> <br />trailing along <br />in your footsteps <br /> <br />like a lone seagull <br />following in the wake <br /> <br />of some great ship <br />of state <br /> <br />watching the water <br />burn <br /> <br />'til it was all bubbles <br /> <br />then letting it <br />calm down <br /> <br />before filling my mother's <br />hot water bottle <br /> <br />carrying it to her side <br />like a lover's gift. <br /> <br />I was <br />your little shadow. <br /> <br />She'd always smile: <br />'Thank you Danny! ' <br /> <br />'That's alright love <br />was always the answer. <br /> <br />These the ritualistic words <br />in the hot water bottle ceremony. <br /> <br />Then he'd teach the clock <br />to bong <br /> <br />adjusting it with his hands <br />and wind up Time <br /> <br />so that it spit tick & tocks <br />all through the night <br /> <br />then go lock doors <br />turn keys <br />draw bolts. <br /> <br />'That's it, son! ' <br /> <br />I used to imagine <br />being you <br /> <br />and now I am <br />my own man <br /> <br />winding up Time <br /> <br />bringing my missus <br />the gift of a hot water bottle <br /> <br />(the gift of me) <br /> <br />both equally <br />heart warming. <br /> <br />'Thank you Donall! ' <br />she always smiles. <br /> <br />'That's all right love! ' <br />I always answer. <br /> <br />Me the man <br />i am <br /> <br />because of you.<br /><br />Dónall Dempsey<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/becoming-the-man-my-father-always-was-for-brian-d/
