A poem by my Father

Scraped knees and elbows were patched, and tears were dried. All the falls, blood, and pain were mine - it was her that cried. The first day of school; a feat very hard to see. I made it anyway because she was there to guide me. Baseball tryouts; I would never make the team. She put confidence in my uniform and tightened the seams. First school dance; I was scared of the girls. She took me anyway and opened my world. Graduation Day; to me, it wasn't a big deal. But she installed pride, and I cried on that football field. Trouble with the law, the fights, rants, and raves. Faith, hope, understanding, and love are all she gave. Next, I'm having a baby; oh no, this can not be true. There is someone I can turn to, and she'll know what to do. Times get hard, and there is no hope in sight. She armors up and brings to the fight. A best friend, a sister, a cousin, a father, a brother. She is all these times ten, but mainly a mother.