My Father on His Shield (Walt McDonald)

A day early, but here's a Father's Day poem by Walt McDonald.

Stanzas with three lines each give this poem a very even feel. However, the topic (while a bit pedestrian) is still smally tragic - the absence felt by the death of the father - the life put out of joint (typified by the broken sled).

This is a very masculine poem. Does that make any sense? It never says love anywhere in it, but the obvious devotion the son has to the father is very clear, as is the gaping hole in the son's life once the father has died.  

Favorite line: "and pounding to beat the iron flat"

and pounding to beat the iron flat