Once I had a father,

who was strong, hard working, and a good husband

That's what I wanted to believe

That's what I told myself

Who was I fooling?

Respect women, never cheat, don't do drugs,don't drink like a madman

He never listened

He chose pipes over baby bottles

He chose crack over new furniture

He chose his addictions over his family

 

Now Dad, I have some things to say:

I used to look at you like I looked at heroes

I was amazed at your strength

I was enraptured by your strong presence

I looked up to you

But now you're the villain, and I'm the hero

And I'm here to put you in your place

If a hardworking man can fall apart in sixty seconds

If you could force that bottle of tequila from your hand

If you could stop filling the apartment with cigarette fumes

If you used all the strength you had

You could have been a real dad

Instead when your addictions begged you to satisfy their needs,

You gave in to them.

 

If this is it, then this is disappointing.

If you weren't so blind to your mistakes

If this were any easier to say

Then maybe you'd still be here

I am your son but you are not my father.

I won’t succumb to your demons

I wont allow myself to be controlled by the darkness

no matter how bad this life gets

no matter how your memory haunts me

I won’t be a womanizer

I won’t be a drunken madman

I won’t be that painful memory for my son one day

What I will be is what you could never be

I will be a man