"Old man, please listen to my tale
for someone needs to hear
The store of a girl with lies so dark
and oh so many fears
Old man this is important
not just to me but to you
I know you don't understand
but trust me you will soon
You is started with broken homes
which leads to single lives
And judges and courts and child support
well, you knows as well as I
The woman, she had a temper
and her fists and words did fly
But she did her best with what she had
Boy did she try
To fill the shoes that were much to big
and her feet were much too small
Her frustration needed venting
call me the punching wall"
"Well little girl where was your dad"
he tenderly said to me
"Well old man, I couldn't tell you,
but maybe you could tell me."
A puzzled look did grace his face
his features stiff and tall
So finally I asked the man
"do you recognize this at all"I
And I held out a picture of a babe
fresh from her mothers womb
And a sign saying "Dead daddy,
please come home from war soon"
"The war has messed me up dear child,
for I am not your dad ."
I smiled as I said to him,
"I know sir, I understand.
But you can't blame this on the war
for we did meet again
Because I used to visit
until you left me at age ten
A knowing look graced his face
as he remembered me
"Dear child I am sorry,
I should have remembered thee"
"Oh it's okay old man," I say
"I just wanted you to know"
I have a husband now you see,
and a family of my own
My husband, he adores the kids,
of which there are two
A little boy and girl, 7 and 9
neither of which know of you
One day I'll tell them of a man
who had more important things to do
And then I'll point to my husband and say
' I didn't have a daddy like you'
And no amount of words
will change what is past
I do not seek apologies
I only needed to ask
If when you go to bed at night,
you ever think of me
Do you ever think what you've lost
or did you just believe
That we were better off alone
and that I'd be alright
Or were you just to busy
to think of me at night
Did you ever wonder
If my eyes were brown or blue
Did ever wonder
If I looked like you
"But little girl you didn't ask
any of those today
I can answer all sufficiently
and help you find your way."
"Old many I didn't need to ask
to get the answers that I seek
For when you did not recognize
your smile or your cheeks
I knew that you were fine without me
and your reasons for being gone
Were that you were much to busy
to bring a kid a long
And I know that don't miss me
for when my husband's away
He drops down to his knees at the door
and hugs those kids all day
You did no such thing right here
and now I know the truth
You were much to selfish
Who would need a dad like you
But before I leave, you should know
that I was never okay.
I always blamed myself
for why you didn't stay
But thank you for the answers
for now I can sleep at night
Knowing it wasn't me, but you
that was too weak to fight
I know now it wasn't me,
that pushed your love away
You had no love to give
so I'm glad you didn't stay
So I hope that you are happy
and I hope the world is kind
For I am finally better
all is settled in my mind.