To My Father Poem by Margaret Alice

How wonderful that now you realize how
much your colleagues and other people
felt for you – although you never won
the heart of your wife, left out of family life;
you were an exceptional imp, naughty and
noisy and always into breaking the law for the
less privileged – a Robin Hood – I remember
when a bleeding man, stabbed by a knife,
knocked at our door, you took him to hospital,
refusing to abandon him to his lot – I discovered
your sterling qualities belatedly, but I’m so proud
of you, I emulate you when I sing and dance to
a happy tune, never forgetting your fascination
with Boeremusiek*, Jim Muller*, Die Klokkiewals*
and Richard Strauss – how my sister and I
ran around the table to the music you
played – thank you for teaching me
what happiness is!

*Boeremusiek: An indigenous kind of Afrikaans music played on concertina
*Jim Muller: An Afrikaans pianist and composer
*Die Klokkiewals: Piece of music by Jim Muller