Grandpa

Your life was never easy,
The last few years the worst.
But you never gave it up.
You continued your life's course.

You always made us laugh
With your jokes and your stories.
Never letting us see your fears,
Your tears, nor your worries.

I remember sitting by the fire,
You, your grandson, and me.
Talking about old memories
And of how it used to be.

You used to show me photographs,
Telling me who was who.
Making sure our history
Would never die with you.

You were never one for words.
I Love You was rarely told.
The hugs, if any, were few,
Sometimes you even seemed cold.

But, we knew you really loved us,
Without the words being shared.
It was a look, a joke, a story,
That let us know you cared.

On December Fifth of Ninety-Three,
You slept, but never woke.
And now I regret the words
We felt but rarely spoke.

I hope you somehow knew it,
These words I say to you:
I miss you so very much.
And, Grandpa, I love you, too.

**In Memory of S.V.A.**
**b. 12 May 1928 d. 5 December 1993**
aged 65 years 6 months 23 days