Daddy

I have called him Daddy since I could speak. And now when I am grown I shortened it to Da or D. When I was growing up he was daddy and abang Yassin to many, and before that cikgu Yassin to his students, and now he is Ayah to many more people.

According to Phil, dad is a great charismatic man, someone he would like to be like, and no surprise so many look up to dad. And it is not just respect he engenders, but love, to all these people he is really a father to all of them.

To me he is just my dad, my Superman when I was young, my best friend when I grew up. He annoys me from time to time, we had a volatile relationship when I was a teenager. Most probably because we're too much alike, both having really explosive temper, and both a particular perfectionist. Now we have a sort of understanding not to touch each other's sore spot, and exist on an agreed unspoken truce. So I look on to all these adorers with awe and amusement really, wondering why, my dad of all people.

Why I love him is not surprising, he is after all a great dad. But he is just my dad, very wise and kind, yet still in my eyes he is a normal human being with flaws. But all my life, I have encountered people who when they knew who my dad is have this kind of dazed look of wonder. Still amuse me to no end.

A group of his adoring 'children' is collecting poems to dedicate their admiration to dad, and dad asked us if we want to join in. I just said, Da I write in English, I don't think my poem can fit in. So yeah, I am writing this instead on my blog. Though I rarely write poems on command or a theme, I am an inspiration kind of poet, I will try here and see if we have anything to go by.

Daddy

When I was born Mummy apologized for me being a girl and not a boy she wanted to give you

But you said it is alright and proceeded to measure all the other babies' foreheads because according to you mine was huge.

From the beginning you brought me everywhere
Even when you were fishing
there I was all red face
being in the sun too long.

Our favourite thing to do is walk around the kampung
with you holding me by my feet
and me dangling upside down
squealing with delight.

When adik came along
She wanted you all to herself
Even Mummy was pinched for holding your hand,
But you were still there for me
Whenever I need of you.

We have had times when
we didn't see eye to eye
voices were raised
tables were flipped
glasses were flung
but not once did I doubt your love
and that I will have it still
no matter what I do.

In my life, what you say is sacred
it would come true
and I would suffer consequences
if I don't heed it
not by you but by the hands of fate itself.

So I appreciate how now
in my situation, how careful
you are with what you say
even though I know you are wanting to tell me what you think
But because you love me
you let me navigate my own way
and trust me enough to know
what I want in my life.

I don't have Mummy any more to wish happy mother's day,
So in this month of May,
A mother's month, your birthday month too,
I write this Daddy to say I love you.

rya

2/5/16

6.38 pm