I followed my daddy

Growing up, I never had my dad,
My mom was there for me lost in a haze so sad,
And my dad, imprisoned, locked up all my life,
I longed for their presence, for that parental strife.

Instead, the streets raised me, taught me how to survive,
A young soul lost, with no one to guide,
At the tender age of ten, I turned to drugs to stay alive,
Lost and confused, not knowing where to derive.

I yearned for direction, a path to call my own,
But in desperation, I veered towards the unknown,
Down a treacherous road, where darkness embraced,
And like my father before me, in prison I was encased.

All I longed for was happiness, a family to call my own,
A love unbroken, a place to finally call home,
But my addiction held me, a vice I couldn't evade,
And I lost my family, my child, and my husband in its shade.

Though I strive to live, to mend my shattered past,
The grip of addiction still lingers, the cravings everlast,
A constant battle, to stay clean, rise above the night,
When everyone around, encouraging me to take flight.

Oh, how I love my family, my child so pure and true,
With every breath, I try to be the best mother too,
But there's a haunting cycle that keeps pulling me astray,
Back to prison's depths, where dreams fade to gray.

I yearn for redemption, to break free from this decay,
To rise above the ashes, embrace a brighter day,
But it's a crucible, a test, where I stumble and fall,
The weight of my past, a burden I can't forestall.

I fight for hope, for forgiveness, with every step I take,
Determined to rewrite my story, for my loved ones' sake,
Though the path is arduous and filled with strife,
I will not give up, for within me, burns a flickering life.

Growing up with my mom but no dad, shaped me in ways untold,
And though the scars run deep, my spirit remains bold,
I'll keep striving, keep fighting, for a life that's on track,
For I refuse to let the shackles of my past hold me back.