i forgive you
you made us travel from one side of the country to the other
you lied to us, brought us to a hellish landscape
skid row, surrounded by dirt and grime
manipulated your own mother for your own selfish wants
and i was there throughout it all
i forgive you
you caused us sin, you gave us a life worse than what we had
brought me to a place where i called home and eventually taken from
i forgive you

i forgive you
you wandered the streets, especially sullivant, for those to be paid by
you used your body to pay for everything
to take care of your kids, to provide for your family
and all it got you was jail time, the opportunity to think about your mistakes
you stole me from my life out there, on the west coast
because you wanted your little boo-boo back
and you had me, but only for a few months
you had your son back, but then one by one
everyone was taken from you
i forgive you
though they took john and came into my room
asked me if my girlfriend was under the bed,
i had remained, and every moment after that was a struggle
eventually, we'd move, and we'd be sheltered in a man's home
he was a good man, never had any demands
but you had to keep your profession going
so i was forced to leave, to occupy the lobby of mcdonald's
and when i returned, the deed was done, and money was in hand
but for you, it wasn't enough
i forgive you
you took gift cards, you stole his money
i awoke after school one day to police
flashing lights in my face and questions galore
asked so fast to comprehend, my mind was still swimming
guns, you took guns
but i forgive you
i don't know if he does
that wasn't the final straw, you kept it going after that
you made up with him, told him it wasn't you
and that you would never do something so heinous
and so we stayed for a few more weeks
until he could no longer stand your presence
often i couldn't either
out of the house, out of good hands
and into another life of filth and gunk

i forgive both of you
but why must you make me suffer?