From Dad to Dog Tags



I never felt closer to my father

Then when I received that little brown envelope

Sealed were the contents lost by so many

Just tiny pieces of metal enclosed.



The rush of time slowly paused by

Tear after rip after tear

The glue that once held was broken apart

As my fingers pulled them up in the air



For the first time in weeks

Since the yellow footprint prints

I felt a feeling that came over me

My father at one time

Had this same feeling as mine

The intimate sense of belonging



We shared this bond

Fresh in my mind

As I rubbed my fingers over the engravings

And the indents revealed their true meaning



Sitting on that footlocker

I wish my dad could see me

Stringing those tags and putting them around my neck

And share the pride of becoming



As the years passed by

These feelings subsided

And these tags got put in a chest

My father passed on

And his belongings bestowed

And both pairs I now possess.



The feelings we shared

No man can compare

But dearest father

I loved sharing them with you Dad.