My father’s faith
Came out in the way he lived
He left the verbalising to my mum
His quietness was astounding
Being proper was his creed
He loved us and we knew it
As we sat upon his knee
He worked hard digging coal
He brought the money home
Depended on mum for parenting
And if we were getting rowdy
She’d call him to the floor
A word was all he had to say
Its power silenced our roar
He’d seen so much in war
The worst that men can do
Nothing now would constitute alarm
A kindly overseer
Relying too on mum
A gentle presence exuding peace and calm
One day in later years
Sat quietly in the house
Looking out the window like he did
He suddenly quoted scripture
Took me by surprise
I’d never heard him quote the like before
Heaven and earth will pass away
Came floating on the air
But my words will never pass away
And quietly he looked at me
As if the words he said
Had finally convinced him
He would follow where they led
Brian Fahy
26 November 2021
Erris Poetry 