By Tim Gallagher
12/13/2019

Time goes past, it is fleet of foot – fast to the past
And yesterday is yesteryear – last night I was a baby
When did I love you, lose you, see you, find you at last
Daddy, I was only three when I saw you and mommy
And now you’re gone and I’m here, by myself, lonely

And now I’m the father, and I have my own who say “daddy”
But I miss you, and want to tell you again I love you
But time goes past, it is fleet of foot and gone, sadly
Time is so cruel, it doesn’t care, you’d think it would
But it’s gone, where are you? it took you away from me

I realize it’s my turn now. I’m the one they call daddy
All of life has a minor chord running through a sad song
Tunneling under – undermining my resolve to be strong
I dry my eyes, but on the inside there’s a graveyard
Stand up straight, dedicated to a brand-new brave-start

I’m an imposter – cowardly bones covered with sinful skin
One day soon it will be my turn – will one of my own
Have their turn at the pen? to put words to the pain again
To the hurt that burns within, the yearning, the loss,
God help me, the hole that grows bigger each year

Daddy, I was only three when I met you and mommy
That’s what I remember, that’s my first memory
I’ll meet you soon and we’ll both be with Jesus
Finally grown up – together we will understand, finally
Why life had to hurt and what true love is, eternally

I’m in the last seat, on the last car
On the last train out, from the middle of here
I’ve left my bundle of worries, there at the station
On the platform, beside my little black heart

The conductor comes by, and tells the passengers
“You’d better have your tickets out and ready
Or we’ll throw you right off this here train.”
So I pat, paw, and dig around, and then… panic

I’m in the last seat, on the last car
I’m gonna get thrown off, I won’t get far
Right as I get up to go and hide, a Tall Stranger
Appears beside me, “Here you go, friend.”

I’m in the last seat, on the last car
Clutching my ticket, holding it tight.
I’m looking at a man, who gave up his
Gave it to me, and I don’t understand

When all of a sudden, just as he’s grabbed
Like a bolt, I know the truth, the awful truth
He had but one ticket, and gave it to me
And I realize this, as he’s taken away.

I get up to follow, everything is blurred
I hear the conductor say, “Just throw him off!”
So they threw the Stranger off my train
And I watched him bounce and roll, and roll

I kept watching as we clacked out of sight
And before I lost view, his body stopped
Still, and silent, and I knew exactly the price
The Tall Stranger had paid, back there on the tracks.

(a Christmas poem)

It takes a fight to push back against the internal night
And a sacrifice to smile and stay in the fight
When hope lives near the raggedy edge of despairs
Leave the day’s failures behind and put my foot to the stairs

Step forward and up, with a deep breath; take score:
Four children and wife… Put my hand to the door
A push and I’m in where the air is ablaze and alight
Quick, shut the door to keep out the black night

Each one is a dreamer, each one is alive
Every single wonderful person inside
And they are all simply lovely, these people of mine
Each one is enthralling, like expensive fine wine

And each dreaming dream dreamer has their head in a cloud
With their thoughts and ideas, and it makes me feel proud
Kids! Kids! Kids!!! I must start by kissing your mother!
Her lips are fantastic… I must smooch! I must smother!

Goodness! Now that that’s over and done,
Let me hear of your day and all you’ve become
Tell me all that you’ve learned and the ideas you’ve had
I bet they’re all good – not a single one bad

Because all of you dreaming dream dreamers must know
I love you more now than I could possibly show.