Father, The Way Things Are

It is time, Father.

Time for me to stop thinking with faith and hope

And start thinking with observations.

For every word of praise you have given me,

There has been a dozen mocking lines.

So maybe you believe that it's not the real you

That it's just a facade to push me.

But I'll tell you this:

If a man wears a mask for long enough,

It grows to be part of his skin.

I know; it's happened to me.

Did you even know about that?

I cannot trust a judging person like you.

It is better for me to risk a lie,

Than to risk telling you the truth.

For the hardest times in my life, you were not there for me.

I did not want you to be.

I knew you could not be.

For what would you do, when I was about to fall into one of two pits?

One was filled with shame,

The other filled with sin.

It was my friends who saved me.

She pulled me away from sinking into shame.

And He kept me from drowning in sin.

But I know what you would have done.

You and your narrow mind would have pushed me into shame.

But you should be ashamed, for I know teenagers wiser than you.

You think your soul means something to me

But I've found we can only disappoint each other.

Our moments of happiness together only last minutes,

But with people you barely know, I smile for hours upon hours.

You have always pushed me to be my best

But history has shown that whips, mental or not, are largely ineffective.

You must stop making me into everything you wanted yourself to be.

For I must live my own life, and by my own rules.

You can never be me.

You can never change me.

You have only your own flaws to possess.

But somehow, my flaws are unacceptable.

And if I am without my flaws,

I do not exist.

Think about that,

If you have the mental depth to.

I'm sorry, Father,

But that's the way things are.

Reviews

[Jess.]

I love how you laid all this out. Not a single mistake in the flow, and word choice is perfect.
Reminds me a lot of my relationship with my own father.
Nicely done.

[shedevil]

this come from that small little part of us that is begging to be heard and u definitely got ur wish, i hear you, and it was great

[DearSweetAgony]

Wow, I can tell that this write comes from somewhere deep inside of your heart. I really appreciate the simple fact that you would post such a personal write to the public, I don't know if I could ever do that. Your poem is written with so much emotion and feelings (that I can VERY much relate to) that it would be cruel of me to point out any flaws whatsoever. (not that I can see many) So, I say great job; flawless write! But I never expected anything other than greatness from you.