The Moon

A song/poem written in memory of Mark Clark

Lyrics Written by Cina Barlow

"The Moon"
==========
There were nights I looked
to the moon
when I should have been
asleep in my bed
praying that you could hear me
and how much I wanted you
to be my dad
I saw you as a knight
a warrior
a soldier big and strong
someone who could brave
dragon's fire
and set right
all that was wrong
I waited and I prayed
for you to finally see
what a beautiful daughter
I was growing up to be
I did well in school
and I tried to mind my mom
I did what was asked of me
I tried to be strong
but the days slipped by unnoticed
and the nights were always too long
time passed as if
I wasn't growing older
and the years kept piling on
it passed as though it didn't
know the yearning in my heart
as if it couldn't see me counting
waiting for the days
we wouldn't be apart
so many times I waited
for a sight I would not see
eyes and cheeks
full of tears
and my mom with no words to comfort me
I looked at the moon
and asked what I had done
that was so bad
why did you not come
why did not you not want
to be my dad?
But there was never any answer
a child's mind could hear
all there was, was silence
and entirely too many tears
eventually
I stopped my counting
I did not think you were brave
you ran from dragon's fire
and you could not set right
what you had made wrong
for I was getting too old
to still have hope
to see you not as you were
you were not a knight, a warrior
or a soldier
you were a man without
the courage to be my father
you did not hang the moon
the years stretched to decades
and sometimes I'd still hope
as I looked up at that big stupid moon
I wonder if you ever thought
of the daughter, you forgot
I prayed you'd find your courage
and learn the ability to be brave
I thought you'd let me know you
I had a heart that would have forgave
but they're burying you tomorrow
and there's no more time
for conversations
or memories we never made
there's an ache in my heart
for the man
I wish I knew
the man who was a dad
to a daughter, he never knew
I will still think of you
at night sometimes
when I'm alone
with that dear moon
for it knows all my secrets
and the love I saved for you
I hope it watches over you
where they lay you to rest
for my watch has ended
I've given you my best
may the good lord find
and keep you
and we find the strength
to lay the sorrows
in the past
of love not given
or received
and experiences not had
for you will always
have been my dad