I was still the womb, I heard mommy’s voice but daddy where were you? At the hospital the day I was born I saw everyone. I saw my brother and my sister and I saw my mom but daddy where were you?
Mommy’s telling me you’re just away. You were away so long daddy, Daddy can you hear me? I would love to see your face but daddy where were you?
I waited. I waited every day thinking hoping believing you’re coming home. Today is the day daddy I know you’ll come home. well no daddy you didn’t and I’m all alone.
Another year has past and I have to keep making up excuses. I tell my friends you travel for work but the truth daddy where were you?
I know the truth no daddy. mommy said you were mean. you hurt her and you her my brother and my sisters. were you going to hurt me? daddy I waited, what a waste of time. They say video games corrupt minds but daddy you corrupted mine. I just wanted my daddy but you were gone daddy where were you?
why didn’t you love me or my family? why didn’t you stay? To be honest daddy it no longer matters to me. I want you to know now I hate you. You left us, you left! you walked out and stay away my whole life. maybe it’s for the best. There’s so much I have to say but you don’t need to hear the rest.
Just one last thing, I hate you but I forgive you. no point in holding on to my anger. I hate you. what did I do? and daddy where were you?
Poetry
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This is such a poignant and a melancholy piece. It has elements of innocence, of childhood, yet your voice and that haunting question of “daddy where are you” almost becomes a rhythm to the entire poem. This piece can resonate with so many people, and I think you channeled your voice in a way that can be universally recognized, even empathized.
I also thought that the way you broke your stanzas in a paragraph format was so unique. The fact that you categorized this under poetry was fascinating because although it reads like a prose or even a short memoir, the poetry categorization gives a completely different rhythm to read the piece. The endless questions that go unanswered, even until the very end, had that haunting effect. This was a perfect example of how absence makes the piece even more noteworthy.