Big Sis

My story begins as a little girl,
with a drunken mother and matted hair
empty cupboards and a dirty floor
not really paradise, but hey this is the real world.

little sisters are hungry
dad's in bed
mom's been gone two days now,
for all we know she could be dead

"come inside girls, take a bath..sis will make dinner,
then it's time for bed"

growing up young was hard to do,
I was only 8 and had to help take care of two
who didn't know better
than to sit on the counters
and just do whatever
cause mommy didn't care
but they never talked back to big sis,
oh no, they didn't dare

because I was there
through thick and thin
...to pick them up off of the ground
and stand them up again.

I taught them right from wrong
taught them to be strong
the other kids could say what they want,
but big sis would put them in their spot.

Then everything changed
ma wanted to be home again;
no more big sis to save the day
those bad memories,
for them just faded away.

but the memories dont fade for me
I remember it all, vividly.
All the silent tears of frustration
every scraped knee
everytime my sisters were hurt
they would come to me

But mommy was around again
to cook dinner and be a friend
So big sis was just bossy
but they didnt understand
That everything I ever said
was only because I cared for them.