To the man who taught me how to knot my tie,
you never said you were leaving;
goodbye was never part of our communication.
How CL Sampson signed the UN chapter on behalf of Liberia, was our usual conversation.
You taught me history & the importance of family.
To the man who taught me how to knot my tie,
a million times you were there;
a million PTA meetings you attended.
In line, you were at LBDI to pay my fees; a million times you were there.
Still, I don’t believe your life sketch has been read.
Reminiscing,
a million times I came from school hungry, but a million times you gave me your last meal.
It’s now one year since you left home & you haven’t returned.
Where are you?
Where have you been ‘Papa’?
It’s long gone by & yet, how clearly now I visualize it all.
Death, this was never the deal;
Grandpa, you made me steel.
You gave me the blessings of Jacob,
taught me to never give up, but death split us;
yet, God connects us; distance won’t end us.
In this life, I cherished you,
the next life, I still will.
In the bosom of my heart, there’s an empty space only you can fill.
You fought, I never saw you giving up!
You fought until God whispered and said, “well done my good and faithful servant, come home.”
With sobbing eyes,
We watched a golden heart stop beating,
hard working hands stopped moving,
strong legs stopped shaking
and a powerful mind at the end of a life cycle.
If I could bring you back,
I’d say what has always been true,
all over the world, there has never been a Grandpa quite as wonderful as you!
Authored by: Massayan Favor Kollie
Featured Image by: Eyasu Etsub on Unsplash
