You climbed up in my lap and started singing
"When love was gone"
You were just a baby
but you understood better than me
You walked past in the shopping mall
holding onto your mum's hand
she was holding onto another guy
and you looked straight at me
your little face lit up
happy to see your daddy
and I looked away and kept walking
I came back
and you were happy to see me
We laughed and played
I was finally ready to be your father
and I would have been good at it
then my mind caved in
I was stopped in traffic
you crossed the road right in front of me
you looked so beautiful
and strong
like a panther
I was afraid of you
He walked out the room to get coffee
I looked on the table
I saw a photograph of you
then he came back in
and I turned away
rubbing the evidence from my eyes