In the shadows, I find my father fading,

Once so close, now distant, like a dream evading.

His words, they stir a storm within my soul,

Yet I cannot fathom why I feel so cold.

From my youth, his presence was my guide,

His calm demeanor, a shelter by my side.

Never harsh, nor quick to raise a hand,

Yet now, I struggle to understand.

Words elude me, when I try to express,

The depth of love, in my heart's recess.

Perhaps time's passage, or some unseen rift,

Has caused this rift, this painful shift.

But still, I long to bridge this growing gap,

To reclaim the bond, now blurred on life's map.

For who am I to shy away,

From the one who held me, day by day?

So I'll reach out, with trembling hand,

And hope to grasp, what once was grand.

For in my father's eyes, I see,