39.

I haven't smiled since...
How much I took his young soul for granted
I thought he'd always be here with me
I never really talked to him
Just the hellos and the goodbyes
He came to every birthday;
Never a second late.
My tenth birthday, he didn't show Daddy said he was sick
It was no big deal,
He'd be back at work tomorrow.
Boy, was Daddy wrong
A month later I finally saw him
Tired young man
When did you ever hear that?
His hair was nearly gone,
The poor man of 39
His lungs hurt and ached
Scarred of his brutal addiction
Months went by, no cure was found
His legs gave in, they pleaded,
"No more aching, no more pain!"
His bruises and sorrow
Kept under the hospital sheet
Please, thank you's and fake smiles was all he gave
"That man never once complained"
the nurses had once said
June 19, his heart gave out,
poor old thing couldn't take it any longer, died in his sleep,
no one knew until the next morning when the sunlight grew
many lost a young friend,
a dear husband, a dedicated father,
his deadly addiction, lead his destination,
his over-worked knees, killed him over,
and took him away... forever.