Aches & Pains

The happiest time,
in my life,
is when I was,
a small child and,
I would lift,
my arms up to the sky,
and say,
"Tickle me!"

And I knew he would.

 

I would laugh,
and laugh and laugh,
until my sides hurt;
he never did know,
his own strength,
and I was often left,
with small marks,
from where his,
fingers dug into,
my prepubescent sides.

 

My ribs hurt,
and they ached,
like a case of strep,
but I never told him,
because he was daddy,
and I loved the attention;
but I told him to stop,
so I could catch my breath,
and I knew he would.

 

A couple years ago,
when I was alone,
in my room with,
my mother's pain pills,
and waging with myself,
whether to swallow,
every last pill,
I thought of him,
and if he would cry,
and I knew he would.

 

So I woke up,
that next morning,
to him in his chair,
reading the newspaper,
and drinking his coffee,
in that clueless fashion,
that he always does,
and he stood up,
to wish me a good day,
and I told him the same,
and I knew he would.