This Is For You, Dad

This is for you,
for the father I love,
for the one who has cared all these years,
but has never heard enough
about how much I care.

So this is for you.
For the one who has
helped me through all my childhood
fears and failures,
and turned all that he could
into successes and dreams.

For the man who is a
wonderful example of what
more men should be.

for the person whose
devotion to his family
is marked by gentle
strength and guidance,
and whose love of life,
sense of direction...

and down-to-earth wisdom
make more sense to me now
than nearly any other thing
I've learned.
If you never knew how much
I respected you, I want
you to know it now, Dad.

And if you never knew how much
I admire you...let me just say
that I think you're the best father
that any child ever had.

This is a card filled with love.
and it's all for you, Dad.

-Poem by A. Rogers