Many Gifts

I thank you, dear old Dad
For the many gifts you gave so freely
And so often.
For opening my eyes to the
Beauty all around me
That I may have missed.
As the sun began to climb at dawn
“Listen closely!” you’d say
To the birds welcoming in the day.
“Do you smell that?”
You’d ask, pulling me outside
To enjoy the lemon blossoms at dusk.
“Just look at the color of
The sky!” you’d exclaim
As I tilted my chin toward the glory.
And then came the day
When we watched on TV
As the astronauts walked on the moon
“Quickly. Come outside and look at the moon.
There is a human up there!”
And we saw him, clear as day.
I thank you, dear old Dad
For the many gifts you gave so freely
And so often.