by Lissa Schneckenburger
When my mother left me it was for my own good
She knew my father’d raise me just like a father should
A father should, a father should
In the nights that followed I held on to what I could
I wrapped her ghost around me just like a mother would
A mother would, a mother would
I see her from time to time
Peaking out from my son’s eyes
I stick around
In the dead of summer with the twilight coming on
The noise of TV mixing with the thumping of my heart
Thump of my heart, thump of my heart
The heat is suffocating I am standing at the sink
I hear my father calling to bring another drink
Another drink, another drink
I see him from time to time
He hides in my daughter’s smile
I stick around
All is dark now, angels sleep
Breathing quiet memories creep
Kiss them softly on the face
“I will be here when you wake,
I will be here when you wake”