Tough love
She's cold, but she's in need of love
She's cool, but she's in danger of becoming
Her father's lonely daughter
Been on the wrong side of the tracks too long
Won't be easy turning her back on the wild side
Letting go of years of toughing it out, living from
Hand to mouth, crime sheet as long as her legs
But she can do it if she tries – really hard
She's a piece of work all right. Stirs her coffee
With lug wrench, counts her friends in black eyes
Don't disrespect her, she hates that. Be nice and
She'll walk all over you. Be tough and you might
Get through but don't count on it. I'd aim for the
Middle ground – somewhere between polishing
Her knuckle dusters and sharpening her axe
She's not nice, even her mother gave up trying
But her dad stayed around and taught her how
To stand up for herself – taught her to fight
It's not her fault – its the world she was brought
Up in. Never protected, never loved, always on
The outside, roughed it from the cot. Abused
And confused as a teenager and now close to
Self destruction. So, it's your call, take her like
You mean it or leave her alone. Taking her on
Won't be easy. She thinks love is for sissies
And sex something akin to blowing her nose
She's seen more than you'll ever see and more
Than any woman deserves to see. Teaching her
To love? Well, I don't envy you the struggle, but
That's what she said she wanted. Wants to come
In off the streets, settle down, lead a normal life
Can she be a good mother? Oh, I wouldn't know
About that, but I believe she wants to change and
I believe you might be just the man she needs...
©Joseph G Dawson
14/03/2018 – 12/02/2016
