If I was your mom

Oh, precious boy. You walk so alone
Blistering your feet 'til they're cut to the bone
Oh, young man. You never seem to speak
When you do your voice is always weak
You once told me about grandad's charm
His fun always involved some harm
If I could go back and be there I would
Stand in the place your mother stood
I would never have let him spend months away
I would've fetched you from school everyday
You wouldn't have had to hide your cry
And I wouldn't have let the garden die
Oh, happy thing. You've found a place that's yours
Candles and ink behind your doors
In your nightstand you hid jelly beans for all the nights you'd have bad dreams
But if I was your mother I would've made sure
Wouldn't have forced you to endure isolation every night
I would've held you close and tight
Oh, sweet soul. You'd just figured out
Yourself and what life's about
I'm sorry he forced you all away
I know how much you wanted to stay
But then you would've found some other one and there wouldn't have been me or Matt or mum
But I still think had I been there, I would've taken a bit more care
I asked you where you're sister'd gone
She'd left when things had gone too wrong
You mention'd that when I laugh or speak, we both have bumps in our cheek
So now in my face all you see, is your lost sister smiling through me
I share her name and through me you've found closure for a friend who's no longer around

And it's knowing all this, that made the fights so much worse

They say it's just a dad daughter thing
No ones words cut quite like yours do
It a complicated thought I've fought
But you're my glue and possibly the only man I'll ever say I love you to

They say it's just a dad daughter thing
Its leaving drawings beside my bed with a cup of tea
Its how being skinny is the only way to make you proud of me

They say it's just a dad daughter thing
Its all my favourite music coming from you
Its feeling more loved at 12 than at 22
Its sweets wrapped in the Sunday news. You read the papers of 2004
And I sit watching not needing anything more

It's just a dad daughter thing

Every time a man shouts, its your voice that I hear
Every first bloom of Jasmine, it's your hand putting it behind my ear

You gave me the book that read, "Some women aren't meant to be daughters
And I'm not sure if you meant for me to read that but it cleaned me of my guilty waters

There was a time when we forgot how to say the simple things
And historical debate was the only way we could relate
A 'How are you today?' lead to things that were too confusing for you at any rate

You didn't have to understand women before me
A wife is one thing but a daughter was a different entity
But I misunderstood you too
I misjudged how much you were willing to do
How much you'd work to see me through
And for that I will always defend you
When I'd gone adrift you swam to my raft and pulled me ashore
Healed my scars and said this is what fathers are for
I'm so proud to be yours

One minute bandaging the scratch over broken roller skates, the next waving goodbye at airport gates
As your figure gets smaller and you mouth goodbye
I turn away to finally cry
You do the same once you've closed the car door

This is what father's are for