For years he drank,
A case a day for as long
As I can remember.
For years my father drank.
It ran in his family,
It wasn’t his fault.
He was taught that it was OK,
And for years I thought it was, too.
Every day he went to work,
He built a successful life for us.
And every night the bottles piled up,
For years I didn’t think he had a problem.
A “stable alcoholic” he’s called,
Is there even such a thing?
When at first my mother used that “A” word,
I hated her.
Nothing was wrong with my daddy,
He just drank a little too much.
But then I thought about it,
It had been going on for so many years.
He never hit me,
He never fell over drunk.
His face did get red,
And sometimes he got hangovers.
And suddenly, out of nowhere,
Sobriety.
He stopped drinking,
Just like that.
I was so proud,
But also surprised.
What had compelled him?
What had made him stop?
He didn’t need to prove anything to me,
I loved him with all my heart,
He was my daddy, not a drunk,
I needed him to know that.
The days went by, 30, 60, 90,
He brought home “near beer” now.
He smiled more, and told me he was proud of me,
But I was more proud of him.
I don’t know what made my dad stop drinking,
I’m just thankful that he did.
My love has only grown,
Because deep down I know he changed for me.
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