HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
'IN DADDY'S ARMS'
In daddy's arms I am tall & close to the sun & warm
in daddy's arms
in daddy's arms I can see over the fence out back
I can touch the bottom leaves of the big magnolia tree
in cousin Sulkie's yard
in daddy's arms
in my daddy's arms the moon is close, closer at
night time when I can almost touch it when it grins back at me from the wide twinkling skies
in daddy's arms I am tall
taller than Benny & my friends Ade & George
taller than Uncle Billy & best of all
I am eye-ball-even-steven with my big brother Jamal
in my daddy's arms I am strong & dark like him & laughing happier than the circus clowns with red painted grins
when daddy spins me round & round
& when the whole world is crazy upside down
I am big and strong & proud like him
in daddy's arms
my daddy
-- Folami Abiade
'MY GRANDDADDY IS MY DADDY TOO'
Nobody has a granddaddy like my granddaddy.
Nobody's granddaddy is named Douglas Jasper Blue.
Nobody's grandfather has smoked a pipe for fifty years
And always has tobacco to chew.
Nobody else's big daddy can carve whistles out of wood.
Nobody else's grandfather has feet almost two feet long.
Only my grandpa can catch fifteen fish in a day.
And he makes up his very own silly songs.
Nobody has a granddaddy like my granddaddy.
I'm so lucky that he's my one and only Daddy.
-- Dinah Johnson
