Labor Day and my dad

On Labor Day I often think of my Dad, Melton Burns. He's passed on now but I often think of him, particularly when I'm working around the house, wondering what Daddy would say about the way I'm doing something. Labor Day is about the working man, and that's him to a 'T' - Daddy worked hard all his life. I guess that's what inspired me to write this little poem a number of years ago:


UNSPOKEN



He was a strong, tough working man,
his hands were brown and scarred.
His life was measured in tasks that were done,
and he led a life that was hard.
He lived in a world that kept feelings close,
and couldn't let emotions show;
for an emotion was a weakness, you see,
and he couldn't let the whole world know.

And this private man couldn't touch and hold,
and couldn't let his soul show through;
So he showed the world hard work and sweat,
and they didn't have a clue.
But you could see his heart every now and then
if you knew just where to look,
and if you knew how to open it's little door,
and you knew just what it took.

You just had to say 'I love you, Dad,
and look deep within his eyes,
and though he couldn't say it, you could see it there
shining like the sun from the skies.
For Daddy said love with his eyes and his heart,
and with that shy little smile.
It was surely enough, I'm here to say,
and beat the rest by a mile.