The lamp of the bright life had darkened.
When my father life was taken by God.
It was the darkest moment ever
experienced by my mother and family.

We are family of ten. I am the eldest.
That time I was twenty years of age.
A new graduate and has no job yet.
My mother's teary, query eyes was on me.

I saw in her eyes what she meant
sickly diabetic mother, ten children
with five years old as the youngest.
Thats a lot to feed in one day and on.

I was dumbstruck. Like in a black cloak
on my face with small hole to peep.
I have to visualize the future. Survival
I have to toil and family to take care of.

In storm of life we are in. We should get out.
I step up, step in to my father's shoes.
And walk to search the sunshine of hope.
Then I took the road across the ocean.

From east, to west end road sunshine I found.
At that side of the world I got the decent job.
Earnings, enough to pay my mother's
health bills and family expenses.

Finally time came, self sacrifices paid off.
My brothers and sisters finished college.
Load to my shoulders time to unload
That's I think of, but I can't.

Poverty in my native land, social cancer of sort.
Still I have to run, carry the load to bear.
To take the shoes off? Nay. Still to wear, support.
I have conscience, a heart, I care.

Ency Bearis

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/in-my-father-s-shoes/