Papa

You said to me,
"grief isn't for you"
yet I cried when you left me for
an unexpected guest.

Miracles in my eyes had vanished
along with the dreams
used to sit on the birches of my sleep.
Silence did its best
and sang lullabies for me,
but they weren't
as sweet as the bitter conversations
I had with you.

I tried to write your presence
on the paper of relief
to see your reflection,
but the ink of my belief ran dry
chasing the tales.

In your absence,
I grew up with a friend called life.
I am learning how to play the game of
trusting the souls,
just to feel safe on the
roller coaster of insecurities.

Sometimes,
it's hard to breathe within toxins of the society;
even so, I stand still on the ground of your principles.

Papa,
to be honest...
whenever earth slips under my feet,
I miss how you used to embrace me
in the breeze of love,
while I was busy in counting the stars.