My Dad

My Dad

to my dad, on his birthday

this is what I know:

You used to come into our room

Julia and me

And tell us one fact

“Tell us a fact!”

“Tell us a fact!”

You would always abide

But today,

on your birthday,

I realized something:

Every night, you told us two –

Perhaps one about animals

space, people, or plants

and then you would say:

“Alright, goodnight, I love you girls”

So there were two facts for us;

one stacked up, out of a book

or snipped, from a magazine

And your own indisputable sentiment,

next to that one sensible fact

– both buttoned up in our heads –

So to be fair to you, my dad

(an avid fan of fairness)

I have some facts for you:

You were the tallest man

in the world

when I was 5

You knew everything

I needed and hated to know

about math, always

You made me brave

and strong enough to love

myself, and others

You were the safest place to be,

and still are

when I’m terrified

of the dark,

or growing up,

or the unknown in general

And:

I love you

I love you

I love you

One last fact,

three times

to my dad.