My Father

My dear sweet niece

You don’t understand your grandfather

He may be deaf

But he is still the boss

With one hand,

He can raise an army,

Send a whole herd to the slaughter

Keep an engine running for hours

Keep up a fire all night

Keep us straight in line

And hold the house together

All night

But with the other,

He holds out so trustingly out to your father and me

Wiping away our fears

Helping us on our feet

And guide us through life