DADDY’S LEAVING (Again)

DADDY’S LEAVING (AGAIN)

Fri, 06/25/21 - 7:40 PM

By Debi Lyn

 

Often as a little girl, I heard my Mama cryin

cuz Daddy still wasn’t home.

 

Daddy left us for great lengths of time.

What could be the reason or the rhyme?

 

He use to drive a taxi way back in the day;

but why he was away so long, I simply couldn’t say.

 

I guess Mama couldn’t take it any longer

cuz one day when I was 7, I remember

 

being asked with whom I wished to live, &

“Both,” was not the answer I was sposta give.

 

~*~

His absence made an impact that never went away.

& though he had to leave, I wanted him to stay.

Little girls need daddies more than you might know.

I was so young when my daddy had to go.

~*~

 

At 15, I learned something that threw me for a loop.

What Daddy asked of me was more than wrong.

 

He didn’t press when I said no, but surely

twas another devastating blow.

 

At 20, I’d a license, and I’d visit now and then.

My baby sis would run to me like chicks to Mama Hen.

 

I tried to help my daddy where I could,

like balancing the checkbook; with numbers I was good.

 

It took a decade I’ve no doubt

to “mend” what almost came about.

 

~*~

Little girls need daddies more than you might know.

I was still quite young when I told Daddy no.

The resulting ‘distance’ made an impact that never went away.

Though I knew I had to leave, I wanted so to stay.

~*~

 

Many more visits occurred between us,

even once or twice at Mama’s.

 

Restoration seemed to be happnin all around,

but I spose I should have known it would come down.

 

I do believe I was 26, or maybe 28

when Daddy came face to face with an awful fate.

 

The things he’d done put him on the stand,

This time he was facing prison.

 

Anger fought hard with pain and sadness

as I watched my daddy leave again.

 

~*~

Two decades plus left emptiness that has yet to go away.

Many would say just write him off, but I would rather stay.

Little girls need daddies more than you might know.

And like a little girl, I still loved my daddy so.

~*~

 

We spoke not by visit but by letter.

The latter clearly being the better.

 

You even set me up with a ‘great guy’ you’d met.

The result of which I’ll not share yet.

 

A few years back when 52,

I took the effort to reconnect with you.

 

I missed you so and wished to be

your little girl ...& you a dad to me.

 

Time has come and time has gone,

and love still conquers all!

 

~*~

Your little girl still needs you, Daddy, more than you might know.

My love for you has never died; in fact, it’s only grown.

The impact of knowing and understanding you will never go away.

It sounds like you’re about to leave, but I so wish you could stay.

 

Comments

Debi Lyn

I just learned that my dad has a stage 4 cancerous tumor on his brain.

He is 77 years old, and I love him so. The thoughts of losing him again

simply floor me. :(

Debi Lyn

Daddy died Wednesday, November 17. I am overjoyed that we had the time together before his passing.

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