Me?
I’m not a strong man.

I met the strongest man in the world when I was 8 years old.

He lifted me on his arm, and when I asked him how he did it, he said it was
easy,
That I hardly weighed a thing at all,
That how could I have made him sore,
When he was so big,
And I stood near him and looked so small,

See, me,
I’m not a ‘strong’ man.

No, I met the strongest man in the world when I was less than a minute old,
And he didn’t hold me then,
Didn’t parade in the long line of men in my life,
Who would tell me when my wife,
Showed me attitude, that it was
Because of my failing as a husband,
Those marching men,
Flailing and stunted, frightened that having softened hearts would mean
having a softened chest.

But the strongest man in the world,
He taught me what was best.

Taught me - ignore the rest,
And bore the zest out of life with your wife,
And take a carving knife,
To the modern model manly man,

See, me,
I’m not a strong man.

No, I met the strongest man in the world when I was less than a minute old,
And he didn’t hold me then,
But he held my mum,
When,
She held me, and just us three, felt lucky as could be,

When I asked him, later, how he did it, he said it was easy, that we hardly
weighed a thing at all.

My father is
Not really a tall man,
But he could draw you a floor plan, to the house he’d build his children,
Knows it like the back of his hand,
Knows each room,
And where he’d build them.

He’d say;
“Here, I’d put the sunroom, for you kids to play, and if I could I’d pull the sun
and moon down everyday so you could all say, “look how strong my dad is!””

My father, is the gentlest man in the world,

He’d say;

“Here, I’d put the kitchen and I’d make all the cupboards at waist height,
because you were all raised right, but at a raised height, I think your mum
might have a hard time reaching,
But I’d build her that kitchen,
So you would all never forget to mention, “look how strong my dad is!”

My father, is the kindest man in the world,

He’d say;

“Here, I’d put the garden, and I could sit and watch from the yard when,
Your mum’s green thumb, makes me numb, makes everyone else’s green
thumb, seem dumb,
I’d build her a garden,
And I’d stand there guarding,
Every little thing she grew,
And it’s because she went and grew,
Each and every one of you,”

My father is the strongest man in the world.

And for me ‘strength’ is the hardest word in the world,
To define,
Because look it up and there you’ll find:
“The quality or state of being physically strong.”                                                                                                                                             I met the strongest man in the world today
I asked him how his morning was,
And he said that the cold makes his bones ache,
But he never moans awake, when he goes to take, my little sister to school,
So that when she gets there she can say;

“I met the strongest man in the world today”

But what she’ll really say
Is;

“I met the gentlest man in the world today.”

“I met the kindest man in the world today.”

“I met the most respectful man in the world today.”

“I got dropped off by my Dad today.”