FROM LOVES ASHES,GREW A ROSE

NOVEMBER 14 IS MY DAUGHTER KELLY'S BIRTHDAY.21 THIS YEAR,TIME FLIES IT ONLY SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY (WELL,THE DAY BEFORE) THAT SHE WAS BORN.I DON'T THINK IN 21 YEARS I HAVE EVER WRITTEN A POEM FOR KELLY--NOT DIRECTLY TO HER,WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG I USED TO WRITE SILLY SONGS THAT WE WOULD SING WHILST DRIVING ALONG IN THE CAR.BUT I'VE NEVER WRITTEN ONE FOR HER,NOT A NICE ONE--PROBABLY BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HAD TO GROVEL TO HER,OR TRY TO WOO HER,OR GET HER BACK,OR SAY SORRY,OR IMPRESS--BECAUSE FOR THE TWENTYONE YEARS OF HER LIFE ,SHE'S BEEN THERE.IF I WANTED TO TELL HER HOW MUCH I LOVED HER--I COULD GIVE HER A BIG HUG AND A KISS AND TELL HER I LOVE HER.I'M SO VERY PROUD OF HER AND WHAT SHE'S DONE--SHE DIDN'T LIKE SCHOOL MUCH,INFACT SHE GOT KICKED OUT,WORKED AS A SHOP ASSISTANT FOR A WHILE,BUT THEN DECIDED SHE WANTED BETTER,PUT HERSELF THROUGH TECH COLLEGE AND MADE LIFE A WHOLE LOT BETTER.SHE MET DAMIEN,AND THEY HAVE BOUGHT A HOME TOGETHER AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING WELL FOR THEM.I OFTEN SEE IN COURT REPORTS " HE/SHE CAME FROM A BROKEN HOME" WELL,WE HAVE FOUR CHILDREN THAT CAME FROM A BROKEN HOME AND WE'RE PROUD OF THEM ALL--ITS NO EXCUSE FOR BAD BEHAVIOR

FROM THE ASHES OF LOVE,GREW A ROSE

NOVEMBER FOURTEEN,NINETEEN EIGHTYFOUR
JUST AFTER LUNCH,AROUND ONE.
OUT POPPED YOUR LITTLE BALDY HEAD
FROM YOUR MOTHERS TUM.
AND WHAT A SCREAMING THING YOU WERE,
YOU CRIED AND CRIED,AND WORSE.
YOU MADE SUCH A BLOODY RACKET THAT
I WENT AND SAW THE NURSE.
"WHAT'S THIS BLOOMIN SQUARKING THING
YOU'VE GIVEN US " I SAID,
"THAT'S YOUR DAUGHTER MR NORMAN,
AND ITS TIME THAT SHE WAS FED."
SO IT WAS,FROM DAWN TILL DUSK,
FROM RISING SUN TILL NIGHT.
IF IT WASN'T WANTING FEEDING-
YOU'D DONE ANOTHER SHITE.

BUT,THAT WAS THEN

LOOK AT YOU,JUST LOOK AT YOU,
YOU'VE GROWN SO FAST,AND HOW.
JUST YESTERDAY A LITTLE GIRL,BUT
YOU'RE A LADY NOW.
AND ITS HARD TO SHOW JUST HOW I FEEL.
BUT,I'M TRYING HEAVEN KNOWS.
HOW OUT OF LOVES BURNT ASHES
GREW SUCH A LOVELY ROSE

A ROSE THAT KNOWS JUST WHO SHE IS,
AND SAYS WHAT'S ON HER MIND.
A ROSE THAT STOOD AND WEATHERED
LIFE'S STORMS OF EVERY KIND.
A ROSE THAT WARMS A FATHERS HEART,
WITH A TRUE AND HONEST SMELL.
A ROSE,I FEEL SO LUCKY TO
HAVE GIVEN LIFE AS WELL.

SO,AFTER BABIES BOTTLES,
THE TANTRUMS,SCREAMS AND TEARS.
I VALUE EACH AND EVERY ONE
AND HAVE,THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS.
I WOULDN'T TRADE A SINGLE DAY,
EVEN PUTTING UP WITH MUM,
TO SEE MY LOVELY,BLOOMING ROSE,
THE LADY YOU'VE BECOME.

I LOVE YOU,AS I ALWAYS WILL,AND
YOU NEVER WERE THAT BAD.
IN FACT,YOU'RE THE ONE THAT KEPT ME GOING.SO
HAPPY BIRTHDAY--------------DAD. XXXX