Daughter

Another birthday passes by,
Another prayer unheard.
Her father absent once again,
Without saying a word.

He took his anger out on her,
For what her mother did.
He closed his heart, and shut her out,
While she was still a kid.

Her mother kicked her father out,
Then dragged him into court.
Because he liked to sleep around,
She asked for child support.

And that is why he punished her,
Because he had to pay.
A little girl who did no wrong,
Was left behind that day.

Throughout her life, she's tried to find
What Daddy would not give.
In pursuit of his acceptance,
She never got to live.

The men she's loved were just like dad,
And each betrayed her trust.
She watched as her relationships
All crumbled into dust.

She has learned how to compromise,
To give, and not receive.
She's like a spider trapped within
This tangled web she weaved.

Her fear has held her dreams at bay,
She hates to be alone.
She tries to squeeze an "I love you"
Out of a heart of stone.

But she will never hear those words,
From lips that cannot speak.
For stingy hearts cannot return
The passion that she seeks.

Yet this is all she's ever known,
An unrequited love.
She's even felt rejected by
Our Father up above.

For He did not prevent her dad,
From leaving her behind.
And the love that she's dreamed about,
He would not let her find.

But God can't make her father choose
To be the dad she needs.
He has the right to make his choice,
And answer for his deeds.

Nor can He fan the flames of love,
Where passion doesn't burn.
Such seeds cannot be sown within
A heart that does not yearn.

It was her dad, who made the choice,
To shut her from his heart.
No act of hers influenced him,
To callously depart.

Now she has children of her own,
A daughter and a son;
And they come last in granddad's eyes,
To all, that is, save one.

For last has been reserved for her,
A foolish old man's whim.
However hard his daughter tries,
Her efforts can't please him.

One day, perhaps, she'll let it go,
And put him on a shelf.
Then she can stop pleasing the world,
And learn to please herself.

For if she dares to take the chance,
And change the life she's known.
Perhaps she will not have to face
The future all alone.

She could ride into the sunset,
And leave behind the pain.
She could live life to its fullest,
And make love in the rain.

But the years drift by so quickly,
And time is moving on.
She'll have to choose which path to take,
Before her chance is gone.

For life is not unlike a stone
Cast upon the water.
You cannot live while trying to,
Be your father's daughter.