An Ode to the Man I Sometimes Call Dad

A flashlight and a smile: Dad`s favorite tools,
Chasing away the boogeyman and my tears,
Every year, strictly, he laid down the rules,
Fearing the entrance into my teenage years.

Tears turned to scowls, smiles turned to fights,
No longer saying "I love you", day in and day out;
The golden years slipped into long, sleepless nights,
Rustling in his sheets, I filled his head with doubt.

Sneaking out at night, spending time with boys,
Listening to my music just a little too loud.
Muttering under my breath, it was all just noise;
He still held his smile together, wore it proud.

With ice cream and a shoulder, he came to me,
Holding me through my early heartbreak,
Wiping my innocent tears so that I could see,
The rest of my life that I was putting at stake.

With an iron clad fist and a scold to wear,
He stood in front of me, tall and strong,
Chasing away all of my miserable despair,
He taught me the difference in right and wrong.

-Jenna Elphick
November 12, 2007