Thank You,
for taking your hands; rough and calloused,
and putting them on me
Thank you,
For shoving your cigarette stained fingers down my throat
and dangling them there
Like spider legs
Thank you for training me, like a dog
Now, I don’t have a gag reflex
Thank you for taking me; an affection starved kid, fatherless
And making me your own
Thank you for teaching me how to love like an adult
After all, I was always so mature for my age, wasn’t I?
Thank you, Joel, for taking away the girl that I was
And making me something better
Thank you for the violence
Thank you for the candy, and the flowers
Thank you, for the lovely memories
Thank you for making me strong.