
Gone Too Soon
Artwork by Jo Scott
Daddy‘s gone.
There’ll be no more
birthday wishes
or butterfly kisses.
Losing a parent
is a child’s greatest fear.
An empty space
instead of the person
you hold dear.
Who knew it
would feel this alone?
Now, that Daddy’s gone.
No unbroken circle here.
Just an empty chair
and a folded newspaper
laying forever right there.
No one to worry if I’ve made it
home alright.
To give me wise counsel about
my spouse.
No, the days when I would
reject his sound advice are passed.
Now, I’d really think twice.
Since Daddy’s gone.
It’s the things I once thought small
that I miss most of all.
A thoughtful call, a heartfelt card
with a few dollars tucked inside.
A warm hardy welcome
and a smile so wide.
Dad’s life won’t appear
in any history books,
but he was a man of integrity
and substance, not just looks.
We’ll all be less because
of his absence-
that’s the truth.
So may I encourage those
who are still blessed
with a father
to appreciate them,
even their small ways,
and tell them
that you love them
this very day.