The dad I always had but never will

I knew you from stories, from whispers in the dark,  

A shadow in my childhood, a flickering spark.  

Custody battles, torn between two worlds,  

A boy searching for you, his hopes unfurled.  

From four to seven, then again at ten and a half,  

Mom and Dad fighting, trying to hold the aftermath.  

You finally held me, but time slipped away,  

Drank too much, your nights blurred into gray.  

You left for New Orleans, building dreams with your hands,  

A carpenter’s craft, shaping hopes from the sands.  

You loved me still, though hours were few,  

A father I cherished, but never knew.  

Your life was brief, a sudden, silent end,  

Aneurysm or heat stroke�"no time to mend.  

From Alabama roots, to a life unfulfilled,  

A father’s love, yet distance and time killed.  

Now I stand here, missing what could’ve been,  

A father’s embrace, a love deep within.  

The dad I always had but never will,  

A memory I hold, silent and still.  

Forever in my heart, your spirit remains,  

A love that endures beyond the pain.  

Though you’re gone, your shadow I see,  

The dad I always had�"still part of me.