To Daddy

A Poem by Madam Bu

Poem written for my Dad's birthday/Father's Day.

When I would cry,
You would hold me close
And hide me from the pain.
You are a shield.

I was a daughter
And as a man, you struggled more with me.
But when lost,
You still gave your best two cents
And a kiss on my cheek.
You are a guide.

As best you could,
You gave me skills to get me by
And with sadness,
Reminded me why I'd need them
In hopes that I'd remember how.
You are a teacher.

You kept me laughing,
You made me smile and giggle,
Gasping for breath at your jokes.
Always, you kept me laughing.
You are a jester.

Our relationship was not as easy as some
There was tension and hurt
Yelling and words no one meant
In the end, you would come to me
And explain so I wouldn't be confused.

You always told me to laugh at myself, to make the day easier.
You taught me to throw knives, to beat the stress.
I do not back down easily, having had a father like mine.
Bullshit and bluffs do not scare me, because you helped me see them.
"You're already smarter than me," you would say to us, to remind us we're smart.

Eighteen years, you've been there for me
Whether living here with us or not.
Eighteen years, I've always been able to count on you for a laugh and a hug
So that I might better survive my bad days.
Eighteen years, almost grown, and you still call me baby girl
I still call you Daddy.

On this Father's Day,
I thought it wise to say,
No matter how old, no matter how far
You have been and always are
My daddy.