I miss you

sadness ever

enveloped your heart

though drown it

you verily tried

regardless

you were

good, kind

caring, loving -

an instinct

the latter

for you

experienced it

never

before

giving your

heart

to be

broken

over

and

over

till gaining

the unconditional love

of a daughter;

when you passed

and your wife gave me

the album

of pictures

you'd lovingly saved,

tucked inside -

how i cried -

were

myriad birthday

and

Father's Day cards

I'd sent

that you

kept them

meant,

I hope,

you knew

you were loved

even if

it wasn't

enough

to keep you

from drowning

your sorrows

till neither

love

nor sadness

mattered.

Now 30 years

gone,

I wish

I'd had

more years

to know you

better

to love you

longer.

I

miss

you.