For My Papa

by - June 19, 2017

You taught me to delight in life.
You taught me to embrace destiny, 
take chances,
to dream big, 
to give selflessly,
to love unconditionally.


With the dawn tide, soft waves enfold onto the sandy coastal strand, 
you, 
bare-chested & barefoot,
walk down the concrete path to the ocean.

As I stand behind braving the icy cold, 
you immersed yourself, 
calling me in,
I nodded.

Dipping your head backwards into the sea,
soaking your already thinning hair,
you laughter fills the bay.
As you raised back up,
the water, 
trickling through your brows, 
over your hazel and honey eyes,
as it trails down the sides of your face to your chin -
forming crystal beads at the tip, 
little droplets fall daringly into the ocean.
In that moment, 
the tiniest of fish surround your body.
Some nibble on your toes
whilst some take guard.

I walk to where the water kissed the shoreline. 
Wetting my toes as they sink with the surf
Slowly meeting you.

We spoke as we floated.
Our ears submerged beneath the surface,
listening to the grains of sand dance on the ocean's ballroom floor.
Listening to the humming of the depths,
listening to what our hearts felt .

In that moment,
we never spoke of death.
or
of what life would be like
without each other. 

//

The morning you passed
my life shattered.
The pain I felt then still lingers today.
I still wake between sleeps thinking of you...
mostly your eyes,
 and how they glistened so bright.

For you, 
I still make it at least once down to the ocean 
for a 5 am dip.
And when I see those little fish,
I think of you,
as if you are there with me.

As you are always
forever in my heart,
My Papa.

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18 comments

  1. I felt everything with you reading this. Great post! Thank you!

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  2. Wow, this is absolutely stunning, beautiful, heart touching, and sad! I love poetry - adore it, in fact - but seldom do I find such enthralling pieces as so. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  3. This is so beautiful. You painted a beautiful description.

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  4. What a special poem for your dad. So much emotion on Father's Day, I bet.

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  5. So beautiful! It was like I was seeing everything through your eyes.

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  6. What a beautiful and touching poem for your father. I do love poetry and I felt like you painted such a loving and vivid picture with this one! Thank you for sharing it!

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  7. this is so beautifully written, I am so sorry for your loss. This is a great tribute to him. Thanks for sharing

    XO-Lisa
    www.thatssodarling.com

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  8. This was so moving. So very moving. Your dad sounds like he was an amazing man

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  9. This was such a beautiful tribute to your father. :)

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  10. This brought tears to my eyes. I lost my father little more than a year ago. That's a void no one can fill.

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  11. <3 papa. This is a beautiful honor to your dad.

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  12. This is such a beautiful poem; I am so sorry for your loss.

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  13. This poem was written with so much love, it is beautiful, I loved reading it.

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  14. Absolutely beautiful! This definitely made me think and appreciate the time I have left with my father. I'm so sorry for your loss. This poem is a great way to honor an amazing man :)

    xx xx Carly | www.thecarlycollective.com

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  15. Lovely. Your papa sounded like a beautiful man.

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  16. Beautiful heartfelt words that honour your father. I lost mine when I was 9, and at 57 I still long for his presence and miss him so much. Thanks for sharing such a private ode!

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  18. What a beautiful post. Very sentimental. Thank you for sharing these very beautiful words.

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So happy that you stopped by and took the time to show some love ♥