"Follow My Footsteps" - Jonathon



A young man, standing at the rough age of ten
Reflections off the water shine back on him then.
He promised he'd teach his seeded breed other,
But under the influence of Jack, he acted southern.
"Daddy - Please! Daddy - Don't! Hunny - Stop!"
Screams heard from a distance, along with a pop
A thud - and she dropped to the ground in pain
Tears of blood soon began to sound into a rain
"Shut up and get over it", and Daddy didn't care
They say that knowledge is the cause of grey hair
The rumor was true, Daddy was the best ever
He told me he love me, no matter what errors
He made, it would all change and it was for better
But I couldn't reason in my mind, how he let her
Cry in front of his eyes, while he's screaming lies
And watch her whither away...
Within days, she dies.

"Grown older, past in the rear view, over my shoulder
Removing the thoughts was like budging a boulder.
It was there, it didn't help, but it couldn't change,
Looking back on it now, it just seems kind of strange.
Those days were not the best, and I don't miss them
My mother I long for; and my father... forget him.
I'm a married man, responsibilities on my hands
Anger management only comes out in strands.
Contain my inner rage, but it comes out of its cage
Drunken actions blast facts and feelings off of the stage.
Not knowing what happened from night to night
Or how many times we've argued or started a fight"

"As a night or two of pleasure becomes new life
I try to stay beside my baby, inside my wife.
And I remember those times from when I was little
It seems so surreal - following footsteps, a riddle?"

"I hear my fathers voice, my mind is speaking to me
I close my eyes - and only blinking... to see.
My son turn out like a miniature me, this can't be,
I promised to myself I would live my life happily.
My fathers footsteps blinded my sight from what’s right,
Now knowing - my spine shivers, a quick vision of fright;
Changes to a warm feeling in my soul I savor with delight.
Making my natural high, at the park with my son & his kite."

"My life changes, my wages differ - away from my liver.
I'm living life to the fullest, just me & my son, without liquor.
My visions are thicker, better sights are coming quicker,
The heart in my chest loves the child so much it flickers.
I would risk my world for this kid, fix any problem he has
I will do anything to be a better dad than I had."

And then...

All of a sudden situations change drastically
Remembering words he once said sarcastically

"I would risk my world for this kid"

After school he picks his son up, and on the way home
They'd stop by the bank, as he lends him a comb.
"Fix your hair son; I'll be back in a second, stay here"
So he walks into the bank - with his son watching the rear.

His son hears a knock on the window, and he glances
"Kid, give me the keys to your car, no more chances"
His dad looks back, and sees the man in the mask,
He runs as hard as he could, with one thing on task.
The man pulled the trigger, dropped him in one shot
As his son watches his dad die in that parking lot.
The cops’ arrive, soon but the murderer got away
They question the kid, as he watches his father decay
They couldn't find prints, so they guessed he was gloved
And they asked the kid why his dad risked his life...
His reply was...
"Because I was loved..."