To the oldest boyo

Your old man has had a few black pints and half of your first grade class is sick and your old man will be the first to tell you that the little cough you have already has him worried, you mom will tell you that your dad worries to much, worries to hard about his sons, your old man will tell you that he didn't understand what love was until you came crashing into his life, i know you don't understand it now kid but someday i'm sure you will, i know you will cuz when it comes down to it your already a much better human being than your old man ever was, that's the way it should be, i'll do my best to keep it that way but i don't have much to worry about cuz you got it sorted...

Last night as i watched your skinny little legs hustle up and down that court i couldn't help but smile, a smile you most likely didn't notice, and again that's okay, you're my first born son, the one that your mom says i'm destined to butt heads with for life and sometimes we do and sometimes i make mistakes but don't ever think for a minute kid that your old man doesn't fucking adore you more than anything on this earth, someday i hope you hear this song and someday i hope you remember when you heard it first, your dad's rasp singing it to you as i rocked you to sleep at all hours of the night, just me and you in that old house we used to live in, in that old rocking chair your dad used to fall asleep in, sometimes with you still in his arms and then i'd wake up and creep to that crib and lay you down like you were the most precious thing in the world and you were to your old man who'd spent to many nights running the streets in search of nothing, little did i know that i'd find what i was looking for in the  early a.m. silence of your gentle breathing, now it's everything i have to pick you up and carry you to bed, your long legs hanging over my arms, those eyes that look just like your daddy's...

I'll see you in the morning son, here's hoping you feel good, sorry that your old man worries so much, i can't help it though kid, even the littlest thing worry the old man, it's what i signed up for, it's the only thing i'm glad i ever signed up for... love, your dad.