Dear Dad, you appear to have left us.
You could have let somebody know.
You've left quite a few things unfinished,
And you did NOT have permission to go.
There wasn't enough time to bid you farewell -
Your exit was shocking and swift.
So I am having to write you this letter
To let you know why you'll be missed.

We will struggle without your vast knowledge
Resolving all questions we posed.
Now they are left without answers,
And our ailments left undiagnosed.
We will miss all the detailed discussions
Concerning your medical complaints,
The graphic descriptions of bodily functions -
The flutters, the farts and the faints.

Sitting with us at the table
Amongst all the ribbing and teasing,
You would pile a great mountain of food on your plate …
Then start snorting and coughing and sneezing.
Never more will you keep interrupting
While we are all telling you to be quiet,
Or describing the tribulations you faced
When you were on the Atkins diet.

You were the life and the soul of the party
Who frequently stepped out of line -
Falling over or breaking or spilling
The inevitable glass of red wine.
Punching a hole in the ceiling,
Rolling around on the grass,
Throwing an insult or two in the mix -
Your antics were always first class.

We will miss your reports of the weather,
Your captivating conversation,
The belly button which protruded so much,
It was the source of extreme fascination.
We will miss your engineering skills,
Your fixing of broken machines.
But you were also a gardening wizard
And so many will grieve for your beans.

Your hobbies were many and varied
You certainly did get around -
Walking about in the wilderness,
Crawling around underground,
Camping in freezing conditions,
After Christmas you frequently went -
We laughed at the late preparation,
And how one time you forgot to take the tent!

You walked many miles with one friend of yours
Who is hairy, and noisy and crazy.
She would crawl on your lap while rolling her eyes,
And give you a growl - your dog Daisy.
But having to give up your cycling
Was easily the worst of your trials -
Just back in 2011,
You were still covering 40 odd miles.

You were also a fan of the telly -
It was basically on all the time:
The weather, the sport, the 10 o' clock news,
And Last of the Summer Wine.
You had so many interests and things you enjoyed,
You were passionate about some.
But nothing and nobody ever came close
To the love that you had for our Mum.

So many stories to tell about you -
I could stand here all day and all night.
We will carry on telling for the rest of our lives -
But will probably get none of them right.
We will look back and laugh as we know you would want,
And try very hard not to be sad.
So, for now, just one last thing remains to be said:
Goodnight and sleep tight - my dear Dad.