My Dad...The Soldier

This is the poem I wrote and read at Dad's funeral...I pretty much wrote it in 10 minutes one day before the funeral so it's a bit rough but it suits dad I think...I wrote and read a 3 page eulogy for his funeral because no-one else was able to. No-one thought I would be able to read it out and in fact, the celebrant said he would read it for me if I found it was going to be too hard. But I decided I would do it as my last gift to dad and I am so glad I did. I read it without breaking down and I was so proud of myself and I am sure my dad would have been too. I had so many people come up to afterward saying how brave I was etc and how beautiful the eulogy was. I really just wrote from the heart and I have to admit it was pretty good...I made people laugh and I made them cry...everything I said was quintessentially dad...even the celebrant was chuckling beside me at some of the stories I read about dad.

My Dad...The Soldier

He never talked a lot about the time he went to war
Even after all these years, his emotions were still raw.
Occasionally, in conversation, he’d talk about his mates
And his eyes would well up with tears that time never abates.
He’d speak sometimes of mates that he’d had to leave behind
But I don’t think any of us could understand just what was in his mind.
He often used to tell us that soldiers had a language of their own
They shared memories and experiences most of us have never known.
So come ANZAC Day my dearest dad we’ll remember you with pride
And remember the sacrifices you and your mates made for us as we stand there by your side.