"Broken Promises"

The father tells his son,

"I PROMISE you'll see me tomorrow."

The father does not show up.

The son's heart is filled with sorrow.

The son's heart is deeply broken.

That trust can't be replaced.

The son will never.... ever 

Want to see his father's face.

The son will soon learn to hate the man

To which "Daddy" was his name.

Every time the man shows his face

The son feels nothing but shame.

"Honor thy mother and father"

Should be something simple to do.

But don't you think that fathers

Should have to honor their sons too?

Fathers should take time out

And spend it with their boys.

The should take them to football games,

Not argue, fight and make noise.

A boy shouldn't have to face

Becoming a man all on his own.

He should have someone to go to

Or talk to on the phone.

He shouldn't have to wonder

About what he's going through.

He shouldn't have to sit and think

About who he can talk to.

A son needs a father

Someone there at all times

He needs someone who he can go to

and say what's on his mind.

But how can a son do that

If the father is not around?

The son will hide everything

And he won't ever make a sound.

The son won't tell anyone

What he feels, thinks and does.

And there is a reason for this,

It's the simple fact...because...

He didn't have a father

To guide him through those years.

The times that are most crucial.

Times of hopes and fears.

Fathers need to take the time

And try to understand...

That boys cannot, by themselves,

Grow up to become a man.

He won't become a man

Who will find a marry a wife.

A man who will have a happy family

And give them the best in life.

He won't become a man

Proud of what he's done.

A man who loves his children

No matter if they've lost or won.

But instead he'll be a man

Who is very seldom honest.

Just think... all of this could have been avoided.

If there hadn't been a broken promise.

Written on 9/3/98