he says he has no father
you know that’s not the case
his dad is not at home
and you can see it in his face
his papa only comes around
to bleed the fam’ly dry
then leaves again for them to mend
their wounds – the tears they cry
his daddy is a gunslinger
and violence is his calling
intimidation, confrontation,
bloodshed, guns, and brawling
how many men in prison
have young boys just like him?
who want to love their fathers
but the prospects seem so grim
and all those men who roam the streets
they ply a deadly trade
those boys who need a father
grow up weak but unafraid
his daddy is a gunslinger
he’s doomed to do the same
or break the chain that’s preordained
don’t become what dad became
when he says he has no father
and you know that’s not the case
don’t blame the boy for anger
or the anguish he must face
his papa only comes around
to teach him how to cry
in a social class of broken glass
where kids do not ask why
when daddy is a gunslinger
when momma’s all alone
give this young man what love you can
try and treat him as your own
Yeah, I just read it aloud to the rhythm—my two cents is the genre I referred to above is sound. I like it!
Given it’s a lyric poem, perhaps there is potential for a rap/hip hop performer either in Chi Town or elsewhere to pick it up with attribution to you as the writer. Food for thought.
great job, Rich, I just wish it weren’t so true.