it has been
seventeen years
since you left
sixteen birthdays
with the candles
left unextinguished
the world
has never been
the same

frankly

neither have i

they say
it gets easier
but so far
the closer your birthday gets
the worse i feel
the sense
of missing you
just grows
more fierce

i love you dad
i know
you knew this

but what i wouldn’t give
to know
you can hear me say it
one more time