"My Father's Legacy"

I've seen my father hurt,

I've seen my father sad,

usually he was happy,

seldom was he mad,

at Uncle Jumbo's funeral,

I even saw him cry,

I began to realize,

how bad it was in childhood,

the blessings we, his children had,

he spent his younger years in inconsistencies,

an orphan who had parents,

who sent him far away,

Dad and Uncle Sam had no way to say,

the hurt that children feel when begging for a meal,

it's not too hard to see,

not difficult to know,

how devoted Daddy was,

to help his children grow, to help his children see,

how much that he cared,

and wanted all kids to be, wanted them to know,

a real mom and dad,

he wanted all kids to be, wanted, taught, and cared for,

baseball was his way to set the children free,

he formed several work parties of women, men, and kids,

to drain the swamps in Skyway,

to fill the boggy pitch,

with dirt and grass and ball fields,

so baseball we could play,

when we moved to Skyway,

there were no baseball fields,

hardly any room for any types of games,

when we moved away,

he left a legacy that continues to this day,

Little League and Babe Ruth, also Pony League,

now many children play,

some ten or so years ago,

I went to picture day,

so very many children,

hundreds I would say,

so many lives you changed before you went away.

I Love and Miss You Daddy.

© Sam Hyde

03-25-12