FATHER,NOW I UNDERSTAND

 

Now, father, as I am now older,

And you are older too.

I find myself reflective,

Looking back at what has been.

To a time when I was so naive,

So young and careless.

To a time when magic meant,

Faery-dust, Santa and "once upon a time".

When I wondered why you smiled so warm,

When I ran down the street to you,

As you returned from work.

Why you laughed at my funny sayings,

Of things I couldn't know much about.

Trying to stop me from being naughty.

When I thought I was having fun.

Your anger at my tantrums,

When things just wouldn't go right.

Why Christmas meant so much to you,

When to me it just meant toys.

Your frustration when I would not learn,

About school and common sense.

Why you always wanted what's best for me,

When to me the best was cartoons.

Why eating my greens was so paramount,

To growing up, getting big and strong.

Why the sandman, tooth-faery and boogieman,

Always came spookily at night.

When you wanted a cwtch and cuddle,

When I wanted to play and fight

When you said the words I love you,

And wanted to hear them too.

Well father I have grown up now,

I am now a husband and father too.

And I want to tell you something I've learnt,

FATHER,NOW I UNDERSTAND.

 

Terence Richard Rowlands

 

Copyright ©2003 Terence Richard Rowlands