A Grace Short of Glory

Canadian Mist has its benefits

like helping Grandmamma fake being happy

she searches the bottom of each lonely bottle

trying to find the love of granddaddy

a worn out face tells his age
Granddaddy worked all life long
the unpaid debt that karma collects
are taxing his heart and fixed income
he played in them streets far too long
forsaking family and curfew
now his worst nightmare haunts him with guilt
because his sons are rolling stones too

grown in age, but not in ways
lust proceeds his brain
daddy is committed to playing with woman
and doesn’t see a reason to change
ill-gotten gain leads to generations of pain
one child after the other
my heart is still tender
'cause i distinctly remember
how he did the same wrong
to my mother

she drank her addiction because love was missing
but Grandmamma is wise beyond measure
despite the alcohol, she loved us all
and that will stay with me forever
Granddaddy made his mistakes
and has penance to make
but at least he's trying to do better

no excuses for dad, but this is reality
he's made something from nothing
he's with the same woman today
so he's come a long way
who am i to judge him

truth be told
i love these folks
more than words can say it
the moral of the story
is we fall short of God's glory
but i'm glad He spared us
with His grace





*Photo by Barbara Allain