Hug Your Daughters

Dear daddy,
I’m writing
You a poem.
But don’t expect
Me to lie
And say “I love you.”
If I do,
It’s not the truth.
I’m writing just to ask
A few simple
Questions.
I still hate you,
Don’t get me wrong.
And I believe that
In your cell
Is where you belong.
But do you
Think about us?
Do you regret
Your past?
Do you remember
Your little girls?
Daddy, we’re
Grown up now.
And it’s up to us
To right your wrongs.
You used to be
My hero, dad.
Then I realized
You weren’t strong.
How do you
Look at yourself
In the mirror
Each day?
What do you see?
Do you want
To know
What your daughters see?
We see a drunk.
A pervert.
A woman beater.
A rapist.
Don’t think for
One moment,
We forgot what
You did to our mothers.
How do you
Live with yourself?
You’ve never
Met your
Youngest daughter.
Did you want to?
Do you care?
She turned into
An amazing
Young woman.
Even without
Your help.
I guess
You’re lucky
She doesn’t
Want you around.
You see, dad,
You’re just
a sperm donor.
You just happened
To have a helping hand
In our existence.
Does that mean
We have to love you?
I don’t think it does,
And neither do they.
You’re a liar.
A coward.
You’re a cheater.
Does it make
You proud?
Does it prove
You to be strong?
You say that
We were mistakes.
The only mistake
In this equation
Is you.
You regret us
Being born?
We regret
Calling you dad.
You’re birthday is
Coming up.
Who will be there
To wish you well?
No one.
You’re a fraud.
You wonder
Why we don’t write?
Why don’t we
Answer your calls?
Because you’re dead.
You’re dead to me
And to my sisters.
So I’m writing you
To explain this
All now.
Because I doubt
I’ll visit your grave.
Don’t twist my words.
I don’t want you dead.
I’d rather
You stay alive
At least a
Few more years.
Just so you could
See us survive,
Without you
In our lives