The Man Behind The Silence Poem by Hanny Gompana

A Tribute to an unsung hero

We grew in a house where silence spoke,
Not in warmth, but in words left unawoke.
A father stood … tall, unmoved, and strict,
With rules carved deep and emotions evict.

Marks were the measure, not smiles or play,
Questions were few, and laughter kept at bay.
We tiptoed through youth, careful and mild,
Scared to speak, though we were his child.

No pocket money to flash or flaunt,
No sleepovers, no teenage jaunt.
Friends were frowned on, choices were tight,
Freedom seemed always just out of sight.

But time, the kind teacher, turned the page,
And with years, dissolved the silent cage.
We saw, not the warden, but a warrior kind,
A heart of gold wrapped in a disciplined mind.

A man not made of trending tone,
But forged in fires he faced alone.
He didn't dine till he knew we ate,
He watched, he worried, he bore our fate.

He never grew in an age of ease,
Where dads hug soft and children tease.
Yet he gave his all, his soul, his might,
And shaped our hearts to love what's right.

His victories shine, though unsung and vast,
A legacy built slow and meant to last.
A young boy, poised for dreams abroad,
Gave up the dollar for his mother's nod.

An athlete, a cadet, a pride to behold,
Applauded by presidents, fearless and bold.
Yet medals meant less than his parents approval,
For love was his treasure, not worldly bliss.

He never begged nor sought a path easy,
Chose shipyard over steel — steady and breezy.
Not for comfort, but a father's name,
He wore his roots like a badge, not shame.

A master of craft with hands and head,
From tools to texts, where few dared tread.
Technician turned auditor, a steward of truth,
Proof that integrity shines beyond youth.

With books in one hand and duties in tow,
He climbed with grace where few men go.
Degrees and sermons, led hearts and led prayers,
In churches and boardrooms, he sowed and he cared.

He may not charm with sugar-sweet talk,
But he walks in truth, a rare kind of walk.
Blunt in his ways, yet fiercely just,
He built a home built on faith and trust.

So here's to the man who taught us to see,
That love wears many robes, silently.
That duty and grace can live side by side,
And that God's own servant need not hide.

You've given us more than words can frame,
A life of meaning, not fortune or fame.
For in your strength, we found our way,
And in your shadow, we bloom today.