The Eyes of Old Men
We've seen your heart in the eyes of old men
Taken under your wing every now and again
You gave them a home and a laugh, and a meal
You gave them a refuge and some peace they could feel
God was pleased with your compassion, I know
I don't need anyone to tell me it's so.
You grew up strong and you grew up wild
To your parents, a gift and an only child
You got their blessings and cursings, too
For their only desire was controlling you
But you honored them with all that you had
Even though it would often make other folks mad.
When I was a child, you were busy and gone
And left us there often in our hills and our home
At times you were hard and seemed to us, cruel
Provoked and provoking us like we were tools
At times you were gentle and spoke with a soft voice
And we wondered what happened when you made that choice.
You were such a strong bodied and willful man
Guiding us all with your strong, willful hands
Even now as you lie there all broken and weak
You're still making us cower like we're tiny and meek
We try hard to honor you just as much as we can
But we take our guidance now from Heaven's strong hand.
Father, up there You must know just how much
We struggle and long for our Dad's gentle touch
A word of concern, or a soft loving glance
Some interest in our lives. Is there any chance?
Please reach down, I beg You and open his heart
For all we are growing is farther apart.
For we are, as those old men, so lonely and cold
Friendless and untouched, much like things bought and sold
Betrayed by his hard looks, cruel laughs and mean words
Orphaned by his father's heart. Oh, Lord, it's absurd!
We are cut to the quick till the tears sting our eyes
While we reach out in vain for his love like a prize.
Oh, Lord, hear the prayers in our unhealed childish hearts
Resolve and restore before death pulls us apart
We've waited so long for a Daddy that cares
And who smiles with his eyes and doesn't pierce with his stare
We just want the same love that we know he has shown
Open armed to the outcasts, to these outcasts at home.
Daddy, we've seen your heart in the eyes of old men
Homeless old beggars, and you took them in
But Daddy, we need you, to look now at us
Your children, grown up in a world without trust
Trusting in God now to guide from above
But we still need your kindness, we still need your love.
Look now upon us, six trees standing tall
We are your children, you fathered us all
But we need a daddy and we need a friend
And all of those things that you've never been
We're motherless now and soon you'll be gone
While there's time, won't you reach out and make us feel at home
In the eyes of an old man...............
©by Joy and Voo
Jan 07, 08
For our dad
who died in 2014
Don't know if he ever read this or not
but we sent it to him
There are 4 of us left now
and he never made his peace with us
