A Child's Prayer: Make Them Stop Drinking

To numb the pain
You chugged them down
To attempt a smile
Instead, you frown.

I tried so hard
To make things right
And make you smile
From morn to night.

I lived your angst
Each day after day
And sometimes I'd kneel
Down on my knees to pray.

You made me to feel that
Your life's hell was me
I tried so much harder
To help you feel free.

Free from the hurt
And pain that you felt
From all that was me
And all that life dealt.

I didn't know how
To make you less mad
I never was good enough
And always felt bad.

Bad for the things
That were never quite right
I could never measure up
It would end in a fight.

If you weren't getting angry
You would stand there and sigh
It ripped at my heart
I felt badly and cried.

You didn't know then
What damage was done
And now that time's passed
My anger has gone.

But if we could go back
To the times we had then
I'd want for a few things
For what might have been.

A life without anger
Numbed out by a drink
Where harsh words were spoken
First taking moments to think.

Not wanting perfection
But lessons well-learned
Knowing how to show tough love
Where respect was well-earned.

Decades have passed now
Life's lessons quite tough
They've never been easy
In fact, they've been rough.

If we could do over
As a child, I might say
To listen to me when
On my knees, I did pray.

"I'm scared of them both
And want them to be
Nice to my sisters, my
Brothers and me."

"I want them to love me
To stop thinking I'm bad
When they tell me I'm no good
It makes me quite sad."

"God bless Mommy and Daddy
Dear Lord, I pray
Make them stop drinking
And hurting this way."

"I ask you, please dear God
Listen now and again
And before I shall sleep
I will end with AMEN!"