A Tribute

A Tribute:
A Great Man Died the Other Day

A great man died the other day.
He was no father, nor uncle, nor brother;
Yet, he is every bit my father -
everyone's father:

For he cares for us fiercely,
Seeing the best that no one else can see.
Everything he did, it was with us in mind.
Never once did it cross his heart
That he should gain from these.

No doubt the way he did things were harsh,
But deeply etched was a deep sense of love
For the students that he sheltered.
Yet, many students turned away from him,
Cursed him and wish him leave them be.

But he never gave up on us, for he saw
Great potential in each and everyone.
He pushed us and stretched us to the max, and
He taught us to love and to be proud
Of a school that we were all brought up.

Then the sickness came and took him away,
And I didn't believe a strong hard man
Like him would fall prey.
But he did,
And left us for a better place.

A great man died the other day.
He was my teacher,
And in my heart was left with a void,
Filled with regrets that he'd never hear
The thanks I'd wanted to say.

In Memory of Mr. Quah S.K.