Daddy, oh Daddy, wake up and see me!
I'm fifty-four but I feel like a child!
I'm standing here by your bedside and pleading,
Holding my arms up - take me a while!

Daddy, oh Daddy, my heart is bleeding,
I know it will rupture without your smile!
Oh, how I need your hand on my head now,
Need to crawl up on your lap for a while.

Daddy, oh Daddy, please call me "sister."
Sit in your chair and watch the ball game;
Pray at the head of our old supper table;
Whistle a tune, play the fiddle again.

Daddy, oh Daddy, call the boys "brother."
Take them out fishing and hunting once more.
Let us all see your arms around Mother.
Tell her you love her and kiss like before.

Daddy, oh Daddy, read the newspaper;
Watch all the news at night on TV;
Give definitions of words that I ask you;
Sit up all night and read, if you please.

Daddy, oh Daddy, I caught you praying,
Down on your knees when I came from a date.
I'll never know just what you were saying,
Your heart was heavy and burden was great.

Daddy, oh Daddy, your heart is tender,
But you acted tough when you needed to be.
You had to be tough enough not to surrender,
For you had no one to sit on their knee.

Daddy, oh Daddy, I took it for granted
That you would always stand strong in between
Me and that great far reaching forever -
Living without you will seem like a dream.

Daddy, oh Daddy, how can this be now?
How has time and life left us like this?
Where did the years go, where are the minutes?
Can't we bring back all our moments of bliss?

Daddy, oh Daddy, how time is fleeing!
Your time with us is only a while.
I'm all grown up now in body and spirit
But, in my heart I am your little child.

Daddy, oh Daddy, forgive childish prattle,
I know I'm not acting grown up as I should.
Would you reach out and touch me so gently,
Tell me again that I have to be good?

Daddy, oh Daddy, oh be patient with me.
This is so hard, so hard on my heart.
I know that life doesn't go on forever.
Life surely will end, as surely it starts.

Daddy, oh Daddy, I cannot hold you here on
This earth where you're tired, sick and worn.
I can, and I must get myself together
And fulfill this place unto which I was born.

Daddy, oh Daddy, we'll look after Mother.
We'll see to her house, her health and her car.
We'll do just as much as Mother will let us.
You'll keep a check on us up there afar.

Daddy, oh Daddy, just give us your blessings.
Now as you leave us we need them much more.
We will give you our blessings to leave us,
Knowing we'll see you again on That Shore.

Daddy, oh Daddy, when you see The Father
Tell Him you've left all your family behind.
But tell Him we're waiting His call to come
Join you. He loves big families, He won't mind.

Daddy, oh Daddy, what joy waits in Heaven!
No eye hath seen and no tongue can tell!
Mercy and grace and faith in The Master!
Forever in Heaven - forever we'll dwell!

Father, oh Father, will you please help me
Let go of Daddy as I must do,
So You can have him and love him and hold him,
You're his reward, his prize, and his due.

Dear Mother, sister, and all the brothers,
Between us we'll carry on just as we must
Until the time comes to join Dad in Heaven
Where there'll be Sonshine and nevermore dusk.

by Doris S. Jamison
Copyright © 1995
All rights reserved
From my book, "Poems From The Heart".