Sweet Little Girl

Sweet little girl
Don't be afraid
No more harm will come your way

I hate to hear you cry at night
Your little mind
Confused
In fright

Just go to bed
Close your eyes
I know you don't want
Mommy and daddy to hear you cry

Sweet little girl
Don't be afraid
No more harm will come your way

The Monster is gone
It's far away

You can sleep tonight
Tonight you'll be safe

Sweet little girl
Why do you cry?
Please go to bed
Close your eyes

The Monster is gone
There's nothing to fear
Why can't you fall asleep my dear?

Sweet little girl
Don't be afraid
I keep telling you
No more harm will come your way

I'm sorry sweet child
I didn't understand
When you close your eyes
You see that Monster again

But sweet little girl
It's only a dream
Just pray to GOD for prettier things

It's easy sweet child
Just repeat
"And now I lay me down to sleep..."

Sweet little girl
Don't be afraid
I promise
No more harm will come your way

Please stop crying
I know you're confused
I know you're in pain
But if you don't stop
You'll go insane

Sweet little girl
The Monster is gone
I wish we could undo
What that Monster has done

Now come along and follow me
Put those memories in a box
Together-
We'll throw away the key

We'll bury it deep
In the abyss of your soul
Things will get better
As time takes its toll

Sweet little girl
Don't be afraid
No more harm will come your way

I pray you get some rest tonight
Mommy and daddy have tucked you in
Just right

No more tears
Sleep in peace
GOD, please give her
The sweetest dreams

Dad

It's amazing how things are different now
More like sad, to tell the truth

When I sit here and wonder what went wrong
Things aren't the same between me and you

Never in my life could I imagine
That things would be this way

That we would grow so far apart
That we would create this much pain

I used to look to you so much
For various little things

Whether it was your wisdom, hugs, advice or such
Or just the comfort you would bring

I knew that when things got tough
You'd be right there to give me strength

You'd never let me give up
You taught me to have faith

You taught me to be honest, to maintain my dignity
To take pride in all the things I do but mostly to take pride in me

You taught me the difference between right and wrong
The meaning of modesty, compassion and loyalty

For this you were the apple of my eye
My confidant, my father, my security

And yet, everything you once taught
The things that made me who I am today

You've come to contradict each one of them
Except for pride- that's the only thing you maintained

This pride and stubbornness you possess
Is what caused our bond to fade

But it would be ignorant of me
To make you the only one to blame

See I've come to realize
There's no difference when our attitude's the same

This is why things are different now
This is why there's pain

The saddest truth is this
Things will probably never be the same

Yet, I'll hold on to memories
How we'd combat nightmares with late night talks

How we'd roll "monster" cheese with grape jelly
And our random father-daughter walks

I'll still hold on to the things you taught
After all, it made me the woman I am today

Until the day things aren't so different anymore
Dad, I'll still have faith

- Susan Abascal