Father

Born of great strength
A gentleness to penetrate the coldest heart
From childlike naivety
Grows unconditional empathy

Responsibility and passion
Are opposite sides of the same coin

Quietly a guardian rises
Out of the ashes of his ancestors
An enormous oak
Cultivated from the most nurtured seed

A touch from the greatest roughness
Softly crafts unending compassion

The patient gardener
Is a master of continuous life giving water
The precise touch
Of calloused hands builds a safe sanctuary

Those who are used to the dark
Illuminate the path for loved ones

In the black void
Glow the eyes of the warmest love
Cold endurance
Softens the sound of ten thousand sirens

The greatest emotions one experiences
Often come from great physical prowess

The softness of the most effective caregiver
Can be as hard and full of potential as uncarved wood

So when you are cold and numb
When you are dense and unyielding
When you sit alone in the dark
You may be developing qualities

Of the mother of all things