Only a Dad By Edgar Guest

 

Only a Dad

by Edgar Guest

Only a dad with a tired face, 

Coming home from the daily race, 

Bringing little of gold or fame, 

To show how well he has played the game, 

But glad in his heart that his own rejoice 

To see him come and to hear his voice. 

Only a dad with a brood of four, 

One of ten million men or more. 

Plodding along in the daily strife, 

Bearing the whips and the scorns of life, 

With never a whimper of pain or hate, 

For the sake of those who at home await.  

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud, 

Merely one of the surging crowd 

Toiling, striving from day to day, 

Facing whatever may come his way, 

Silent, whenever the harsh condemn, 

And bearing it all for the love of them. 

Only a dad but he gives his all 

To smooth the way for his children small, 

Doing, with courage stern and grim, 

The deeds that his father did for him. 

This is the line that for him I pen: 

Only a dad, but the best of men. 

*This poem is found in public domain.

Edgar Guest was born in 1881. This English-born American poet was hired as a copy boy for the Detroit Free Press, where he worked for almost 67 years. He published more than 20 volumes of poetry and was thought to have written over 11,000 poems.  He has been referred as the “Poet of the People!” He took everyday personal experiences and make simple rhymes from them. Edgar Guest died on August 5, 1959.