Happy Birthday, Dad....

Fifty-seven years of life have gone by
through changes, and stresses, and love gone dry.
Retired from the military
and now the Federal government
a part-time diesel mechanic
is now how your time is spent

Through foreign wars
and unknown waters
did twenty-two years fly.
I still remember the fear
from when you were put on standby.
For another foreign skirmish
with yet another country.
You were packed, and ready to go.
to wax a dangerous Iraqi.

We may not be as close as we once were
and I know that I'm often a brat
but know that you're still my dad
and in some ways, I'm still thankful for that.

Happy Birthday, Dad.