Each & Every Day

This piece is dedicated to my friend, Mike Woodward & his late father, William Leonard Woodward, who passed away June 14th, 2013. Mike was Pallbearer for my wife on 1/7/22 ...

Each & Every Day

Written By Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

Copyright © 2013 Marvin Thomas Cox

DBA: Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

All Rights Reserved

In memory of William Leonard Woodward -- March 15^th, 1931 -- June 14^th, 2013

For my best friend Mike … I do feel your pain ...

“No one is available to take your call ...

Please leave a message after the tone ...

Beep ...”

“In your saddest days of sorrows,

feelings of no more tomorrows,

without regrets full of memories,

memories of good times you had,

many years spent with your dad,

of wishing now to turn back time,

to do things so much differently,

to be a better son most definitely,

beating yourself up as a bad son,

as if you alone were the only one,

who ever looked back with regret,

at time lost forever now gone by,

in poor me parties of tears to cry,

to weep alone as your punishment,

for crimes that every son commits,

even the genius as well as half wit,

wishing you had done much more,

life giving only what it has in store,

who are you to be above life's pain,

all men die in going to their graves,

asking for a miracle his life to save,

hell, I've lived such a damn good life,

eighty two seems a fine ripe old age,

for a wise old man and quite a sage,

Try to thankfully bury your regrets,

for there is plenty in this life to fret,

one day your son will lose you too,

give him an example he can live by,

rather than beat himself up and cry,

teach him to treasure good memories,

to count all his blessings in prayer,

as each day he has a smile to wear,

your miracle was in time well spent,

before you asked it was already sent,

in the years you cared for your dad,

a special time for you and he to mend,

to know each other as closest friends,

as few ever get such an opportunity,

to know their dad in completeness,

to even know all of dad's weakness,

I was only a painter and humble man,

doing only the very best a man can,

so when you feel you're all alone,

please know, I am but a breath away,

-- each and every day...”

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The muse of inspiration for this poem is one which a man had to die for, as his son dealt with the loss of a dad, in finding himself away with those regrets we all face once someone we love is gone, with sudden close of any window of opportunity to pay that one more visit, right wrongs, or simply say I love you one more time. In this case, as my best friend dealt with a flood of these, precise, emotions, he suddenly discovered a message on his phone from his dad, left the night just before his dad passed away from cancer. I have elaborated somewhat, but not much, in sharing a poem about a good man who loved his son, and a son who misses his dad to this very day, for we never get over losing those whom we love … Shortly after losing his Dad, Mike wrote the song Each & Every Day in memory of his father ... My late wife loved his song and shed tears every time Mike played it for us all to hear.  Mike served as Pallbearer for my late wife on January 7th, 2022 ... When we got back from the funeral, in returning to my son's home, Mike played Each & Every Day one more time for his Dad and for my wife Irma.  I do hope this song touches your heart in all the many ways it touched my wife, and also touched me. FYI:  The bald headed wobbling skinny old fart walking around in the video's background is all that was left of me, after losing and burying my wife of 49 years.  Treasure those you love.  You will not have them here with you always.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO3kCv80Ky0 

(Written June 16^th, 2013)

Reviews

[Betty Hermelee]

I think each of us regrets, some wrongs we did to our fathers when they were alive and have. passed and we are sorry for the pain we caused them…but our memories are not all.bad, some are good, especially when our fathers are sick and near the end… you write this with much heart and feelings….now that Mike’s father has passed he writest a song in honor of his father, which the rest of the family and friends enjoy…… the whole poem is an emotional Message from his dad which I believe turned his son’s life around for the better…… excellent piece Marvin!
Best to you
B.

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham]

Thank you so very much, Betty,

And Mike thanks you too ...

Marve

[Betty Hermelee]

You’re very welcome Marvin!
Best, B