Whisper of the bottle

The Bottle That Haunts Me
In the dark, it whispers my name
A siren call that I cannot ignore
It lures me in with promises of numbness
But leaves me drowning in my own tears
Dear dad, why did you drink?
Was your life really that bad?
Or was it just easier to drown it all out
Than face the reality of what you had?
I can still hear the clink of the glass
As you poured yourself another drink
And I knew that meant you were gone again
Lost in a world of your own making
Did you think about us at all?
Your family, left behind to pick up the pieces
Did you even care about the pain you caused?
Or were we just collateral damage in your war against yourself?
I try to forgive, but it's hard when I see your face
Reflected back at me every time I look in the mirror
You left an imprint on my soul, an ache that won't fade away
And sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be free from this shadow
So dear dad, as I stand here at your grave,
Tears streaming down my face,
I ask one last time:
Why did you drink?