A proud father

The husband of my mother, A proud father of his children. Aggressive but affectionate, Rough and tough. Masculinity personified. A God-fearing man.

An early bird, never late for work or church.

A humble brown man from rural environs,

A man whose strength is that of many lions.

Easy to talk to, a big storyteller.

Oh I remember those Anancy stories.

The riddle me this, riddle me that.

A lover of sports, especially cricket.

And he can tell you all about the wicket.

Some call him Bullon, don’t mess with him.

Some call him Smiley, he will make you smile from ear to ear.

An entrepreneur, a truck driver he was,

A retiree he is. Farmworker, ship worker, A traveller with many different experiences

Hardworking, helpful and warm

Irie man, a real Jamaican man My defender, my supporter

and my promoter

I am blessed to have a father Who thinks and speaks only the best of me.

A father who always listened to me and never molested me

A father who always prayed for me to be happy and prosperous

He is not rich but his love for me is

He nurtured my confidence And always encouraged me to be bold and strong

With him I am never wrong. I am his princess and the apple of his eye.

His love for me extends beyond the sky.

– Erika Heslop Martin