Modern-Day Noah

When I wrote "Modern-Day Noah and the Ark of Knowledge," I was still a baby Christian drinking from the bottle. My biblical knowledge of relationships was in its young stage. All I knew at the time was that my father and I have been extremely close my entire life. He was a hard-working truck driver for many decades. He was unjustly cheated out of retirement due to a situation caused by someone else. Soon his body became too old and frail to drive a truck anymore, which left him in a bad way financially. That's when my wife and I took him in and let him live with us for many years during my Navy days. This was a special poem I wrote for him to let him know how I feel.

From the day I was born, my beginning of time
you've given me love, and molded my mind.
Determined you were, to make my life set
to have all the things, you never could get.

So onward went life, through struggle and strive
you'd fill me with wisdom, to keep me alive.
You shared all the thoughts, and experiences you had
and taught me to keep, from the ones that were bad.

And as I grew older, you continued to preach
and whenever I'd fall, you were there may reach.
Like a modern-day Noah, you've built from the seams
an "Ark" made of knowledge, to conquer my dreams.

But now there's a task, I've yet to unveil
there's a piece that is missing, and my "Ark" will not sail.
From hard years of driving, some problems have grown
your body's too tired, to go on alone.

I feel when you're hurting, for I am your son
because you and me pop, will always be one.
The piece that is missing, is "you" don't you know
so climb aboard father, and onward we go.

By Dale Coolbaugh
12/4/92