The Winner Is... Poets Pub Contest Winners

To my dad (AmbergrisJane) (June 2017)

To my dad 

I see it.

Everyday.

You are changing,

more and more.

More grey hairs now

("I'm what you call a silverfox, kid.")

More wrinkles

(you call it your built-in face towel)

A Bald patch

(you said you'd grow and brush up your eyebrows)

Memory Gaps

(You: Have you seen my glasses?

Me: its on your forehead, dad.

You: I was testing your eyesight, insolent kid. Hmmph!)

Achy Joints

(Creaky stretches to "let's get physical" every morning)

Bigger love handles

("So my grandkids has more room to grab on to when crossing the street!")

Weird Eyesight

(while watching korean soaps;

You: she's pretty.

Me: that's a man, dad.

You: well, he looks like your mom)

Evidently, time is catching up.

All seventy two years of it.

But you take it in a stride.

You laugh about it,

So we'd laugh about it.

You are the best dad ever.

You still make the best cup of coffee in the island.

(I asked you once what's the secret, you answered plain and simple, "my socks")

You can still belt out Gerry Vale in the karaoke without losing a beat.

(Score: 95, but I think its rigged...lol...)

You are the only one who my dental chair listens to.

(My dental chair has a mind of its own)

You can still race with me uphill on a bicycle

(Lots of menthol liniment afterwards)

You are the only man who can make mom smile and laugh like that.

And only you,

I repeat,

Only you.

Can make our family

Feel calm and safe and loved.

I know,

We're on borrowed time here.

As you keep saying,

You and mom, are already on the "Pre- Departure Area" of life.

But until that day, dad,

Just keep doing what you're doing.

Keep at it.

We love you for it.

And if you ever get worried,

Or run into some sort of trouble,

I'm just a room away,

And your son is just five houses away.

Use the microphone from the karaoke machine if you need to.

I love you dad.

You're the best dad in the world.