I Dare You

I dare you to show up after eighteen years
To fill my mind with doubt and fears

What is the point? Why are you here?
You missed the parts, you could have held dear


After all this time, you make your presence known
Why did you wait so long? Until I am grown

You say that you are my dad
I needed you 18 years ago, too bad

Now you want the title, of being called my dad
You missed so much, doesn't that make you sad?

For many years I wondered, what is wrong with me?
The problem was with you, that now I truly see

You walked away without a care
For mom and I, you were never there

She raised us on her own
Many times feeling alone

Many times my questions, tugged at her heart
Asking why dad was not there from the very start

You show up when the work is done
You should have stayed for all the fun

You are the one who chose to walk away
Now I am the one, who has nothing to say

Mom was always there by our side
To wipe away tears, that rolled like the tide

What is the point? Why now?
Did you ever care about us anyhow?

We will put you in isolation, to wonder why
That I won't talk to you, nothing will I try

Your path in life, you chose the course
Now you must live with regret and remorse






Author's Note: This item is how I felt 20 years ago. Now forgiveness has followed. I will add more poems and stories on this subject later. This is the anger I felt as a child, knowing that my father walked away without a care. Now as years have past forgiveness has taken the anger's place.