A number of months ago I
was chatting with a couple of friends of mine (they are engaged) and he
told me a story about how her Dad had called and had a long conversation
(he was pretty worried about a number of things since he was getting
ready for a military deployment)....It was a moving story and I told my
friend, as my gift to them for their wedding, I would do a writing about
the call since it was a major turning point in their life together (I
get moved every once in awhile to write stuff like this).....
Unbeknowest to me they loved the writing so much they submitted it on my
behalf to a National Poetry Contest and I received notification today
that I was a semi-finalist in the competition ($10K Grand Prize) and
they required my release so they could publish the writing in a book
called "Immortal Verses"....I was a bit irritated at my friends for
doing this (they will hear aboot it later) and at the same time I was a
bit pleased (how can one help but not be)....
I would like to share this writing with all of you at this time so you
folks, who I trust more than editors and such, can review it yourself
and judge its merits......
The Other Man
by Stephan May (known as Papa Bear)
Today his call came, words filled with love;
From the other man in her life - the only other one;
He spoke of things - Her, Me, The two of us together.
Even though I have entered her life,
Where before he was the only one,
He seems to elate in her happiness and she loves him.
He spoke of the heartache that lies ahead,
The pain she would feel at our separation.
I did not doubt his words one bit, for he is wise.
It happened once before, Another life, Another time.
His life, His time, Her mother.
What is it that they say? Father knows best?
Daddy knows, he knows it is time to let her go.
He hands her freedom to her,
With gentle care and a promise of love.
He will always be there, as I hope, she, too, will be.
I think of how much she loves the other man,
Hopefully as much as she loves me,
Yet in a vastly different way.
After all - I am just me...and he is her Dad.
