a tattered couch for emphasis
yellowed photograph in hand
memories of a time
as a younger man
had himself a family
beautiful wife to hold his hand
but along with it all
came along life's demands

back then he called it providing
the years that he went missing
to himself he was lying
though he kept insisting
absent husband, absent father
would seldom make it home
when he finally did
he found himself alone

the children never knew
the dad who said he loved them
hard to see it any other way
missing father, missing husband
with them no longer here
and he no longer able
to hold back the tears
but now able to say so

to a yellowed-out photograph
sadly in an empty room
if only he had known
what his fortune would lose