MY DAD'S GRIEF

IT WAS A FRIDAY NIGHT

AND IT WAS A SHOCKING SIGHT.

OH MY DEAR!

I SAW RED EYES TRICKLE WITH A TEAR.

IT WAS MY DAD

SO SICK AND SAD.

MOM WAS SHOWING FINE HOSPITALITY

BUT MY DAD HERE WAS LACKING VITALITY.

MY DAD NEVER CRIES

EVEN IF HE HAD SPICY HOT FRIES,

I THOUGHT I WAS HIS MOCKERY'S TOOL

TO MAKE ME LOOK LIKE A FOOL

SO, WITH HALF-SMILE I ASKED WHY

HE HAS TO CRY;

AND GUESSED IF HIS SICKNESS WAS HIS CAUSE

BUT THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL PAUSE.

SITTING ON THE BED

HE SAID"I THOUGHT OF BEING DEAD",

BUT I ARGUED "WHY SUCH A THOUGHT

WHICH YOU SHOULD'NT HAVE SOUGHT?"

HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS GETTING OLD

AND IT WAS TIME FOR HIS SOUL TO BE SOLD

I SAID "YOU HAVE'NT EVEN CROSSED FIFTY

AND NOT TO WORRY ,YOU ARE HEFTY.

GRANDPA  DIED AT EIGHTY-THREE

WHEN HIS SOUL WANTED TO BE FREE.

SO, YOU MUST DIE AT EIGHTY-FIVE

TILL THEN YOU MUST BE ALIVE."

MY DAD LAUGHED AND I WENT

WITH A SMILE HAVING DENT;

AND WE BOTH HIDE

TRYING TO PUT EACH OTHER'S GRIEF ASIDE.