I'm going to read two poems by Robert Frost. One at the beginning and one at the end. He loved Robert Frost, but don't get me wrong, he loved all poetry and writing, but Frost was who he quoted all the time and was his favourite.
-Acquainted with the night, Robert Frost
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,
But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
(1928)
I hope you don't mind me speaking through my tears, I've become pretty good at it, so you should be able to understand me. I lost my speech right before the funeral and thought it was the end of the world. But I had so many good things to say it was easy to get some points down in time. I just didn't want to miss anything, I wanted everyone to know all the good things he brought us.
He always put himself last. His kids came first and he gave us everything we ever wanted (almost) even if it meant he would have less.
No one could reach my sister the way he could. She couldn't be here because it was too difficult.
He always knew the answer to everything and told us all the answers at least until we were older, whereupon he would say "I have a book for that, let's get it." There was always a book. He was a good storyteller, stories about his life and made up ones too. He created his own three bears – Herschel, Fred and Sam, to make the story funnier and less scary.
He was a good listener. I went through a difficult time in my life, at first he'd say, "I'll get your mom to speak to you," but then started just listening to me. He always knew how to make me feel better.
He bottled things up himself, so as not to bother anyone else, and to be available when we needed him. Perhaps that's why he had such a lot of illnesses in his life. He had a hard life, but he was a survivor, which is why he shouldn't be gone now, I didn't think he would leave us so soon. For some reason he didn't think he was that special, but as I told him minutes before he died, more people love you than you ever believed, so know that now.
I want to read another poem because I truly believed my dad was golden.
-Nothing Gold can stay, Robert Frost
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing Gold can stay.
Thank you
