Fathers are wonderful people

too little understood,

And we do not sing their praises

as often as we should

For, somehow, Father seems to be

the man who pays the bills,

While Mother binds up little hurts

and nurses all our ills,

And Father struggles daily

to live up  to "his image"

As protector and provider

and "hero of the scrimmage."

And perhaps that is the reason

we sometimes get the notion

That Fathers are not subject

to the thing we call emotion.

But if you look inside Dad's heart,

where no else can see,

You'll find he is sentimental

and as "soft" as he can be.

But he is so busy every day

in the grueling race of life,

He leaves the sentimental stuff

to his partner and his wife.

But Fathers are just wonderful

in a million different ways,

And they merit loving compliments

and accolades of praise

For the only reason Dad aspires

to fortune and success

Is to make the family proud of him

and to bring them happiness.

And like our Heavenly Father,

he's a guardian and a guide,

Someone that we can count on

to be always on our side.

Helen Steiner Rice.