Fatherhood.
That difficult task
Of loving a child
and them loving back.
Sticking around
For all those bad memories
Like a first step
First day of school
First concert
All those horrible Birthdays
And the depressing Christmas
All these painful holidays
So hard to see your wonderful kids
Smiling and laughing
Enjoying life
To the fullest

I see now, why you chose the bottle.
It loves you back
Makes you smile.
Brings you gifts.
Keeps you company.
How selfish of me
To not truly see
The vast beauty
Of the bottle.

Let go
Breathe deep
Don't Forget
Don't regret
Just breathe
Inhale
Exhale
Move along
And let go.

Those secrets I keep
In their dusty attic home
Afraid of the light
Afraid to be known

I keep them alone
Adrift in my mind
Because I'm afraid
Of what you may find

The perfection I show
The mind that you see
The happiness I share
Is not really me.

I must tell you a story, of a very close friend
who overcame hurdles, but lived to the end

I can't say a name, or tell you just where
I've been trusted upon, by a friend whom i care

His hurdles and mountains, he climbed day and night
have broken his mind, but he put up a fight

Losing his father, in the worst kind of way
through alcohol and hatred, yet he made it through the day

A father of anger, suicide and doubt
How one can bare this, I can't figure out

A struggle with life, a barrage of guilt
for we each have a story, which make our hearts wilt.

But this story of burden he carries around
Follows him daily, yet he doesn't make a sound

Judge a book by its cover, and he seems a okay
But the struggle on the inside, slows down his day

Of course this friend, whom I know so well
Is just my own mind, if you couldn't tell

So all in all, I'm doing okay
I put on a smile and face each new day

Some days I'm up, and some days I'm down
But writing a poem is what keeps me around.

When the tears of past roll down my face, I will remember you.
When those faded memories come back to me, I will remember you.
From walls that housed me, to hands that fed, you will always be on my mind and in my heart.
Though the years have torn us, and drifted us apart,  I will remember you.
A once gentle heart, now lain to rest. Forever a memory, I will remember you.

I'm not the sun, the moon or the sky
I don't have that sparkle when you look in my eye
I won't say I love you and kiss you good night
I won't say I'm sorry when I start a fight

(Added 02/2014)
I'm just not the one, the love, that guy,
We're not meant to be, I say with a sigh
It was good, it was fun, I had a great time,
But now all that's left is me, and this rhyme.

(Added 03/2014)
But maybe you are,  and maybe I do
Maybe it's love that I feel for you
My heads a mess and now that you're gone
My heart can't sense what's going on

Our past, our plans and future were bright
I looked in your eyes and saw a light
Alone, without you, I compare all to you
And none measure up, my heart is askew.

Kindness happens, so it seems
Nowhere else but in our dreams
And perhaps some miles away,
That's what other people say.

I know this to be true
I've held my breath
Turned black and blue
I'm waiting for that day
That kindness starts to come my way

I know I've waited all in vain
I've felt the hurt and the pain
Kindness happens in our dreams
And nowhere else, that's how it seems.