Preface: To everyone who has had to grow up with an absentee father, you are never alone.

I wish that you could have another daughter;
one to rock back to sleep at night
while your wife gets some much needed extra sleep--
or pretends to while watching a new daddy care for
their child.

I wish that you could have another daughter;
one that doesn’t sit on your lap
when her mommy isn’t home yet from work--
and that her mommy doesn’t come home because she’s drunk
and you have to take care of her all alone.

I wish that you could have another daughter;
one that never wants to talk to you
and one that never wants to hug you--
because if she does she knows she’ll get attached
to the love of a jaded man.