By Tim Gallagher
12/13/2019

Time goes past, it is fleet of foot – fast to the past
And yesterday is yesteryear – last night I was a baby
When did I love you, lose you, see you, find you at last
Daddy, I was only three when I saw you and mommy
And now you’re gone and I’m here, by myself, lonely

And now I’m the father, and I have my own who say “daddy”
But I miss you, and want to tell you again I love you
But time goes past, it is fleet of foot and gone, sadly
Time is so cruel, it doesn’t care, you’d think it would
But it’s gone, where are you? it took you away from me

I realize it’s my turn now. I’m the one they call daddy
All of life has a minor chord running through a sad song
Tunneling under – undermining my resolve to be strong
I dry my eyes, but on the inside there’s a graveyard
Stand up straight, dedicated to a brand-new brave-start

I’m an imposter – cowardly bones covered with sinful skin
One day soon it will be my turn – will one of my own
Have their turn at the pen? to put words to the pain again
To the hurt that burns within, the yearning, the loss,
God help me, the hole that grows bigger each year

Daddy, I was only three when I met you and mommy
That’s what I remember, that’s my first memory
I’ll meet you soon and we’ll both be with Jesus
Finally grown up – together we will understand, finally
Why life had to hurt and what true love is, eternally