Wanting You to be Okay
A dad tries to move forward after a child's suicide attempt
By F Cade SwansonPublished 11 months ago β’ Updated 11 months ago β’ 1 min read
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Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash
Dad, while I was sleeping,
I heard you quietly
Say that you worry about me, and
That you want me to be okay.
Rather than try
And convince you not to worry,
Could I ask you to remember
That I am still here.
I survived. And while I may never be fully
Okay, let the life that has returned in my eyes distract you, still
Not forgetting the pain I felt, or the pain I caused.
About the Creator
F Cade Swanson
Queer dad from Virginia now living and writing in the Pacific Northwest. Dad poems, sad poems, stories about life. Read more at fcadeswanson.com
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Comments (12)
"I survived. And while I may never be fully Okay, let the life that has returned in my eyes distract you, still Not forgetting the pain I felt, or the pain I caused." This sums it all. Wow! Beautiful choice of words. Well composed.
Beautiful and unselfish thoughts! Congrats on TS!π₯³
π₯π₯π₯π₯πππCade You nailed it! πͺ Great job, seriously! π https://vocal.media/authors/yusuf-alam
very very lovely
I love the tender hand your word choice brings to this first-person narration. You've given your reader enough to feel so many emotions while simultaneously giving your reader enough space to fill in their own blanks. Evocative and emotional. Beautifully written.
congratulations on your Top Story!
Hugs...
Oh goodness, this made me tear up. My best friend went through/is still going through this with her daughter. There are so many emotions tied up. Beautiful work highlighting this :)
So poignantly seen from both perspectives. "Dad, while I was sleeping, I heard you quietly Say that you worry about me, and That you want me to be okay." Thank you for this beautiful poem.
A beautiful one to read many times..! Amazing and incredible... Your words are really heart-touching and so deep and true.. loved your poem..
Yep, this is a keeper, one to reread many times. Touching with a sprinkle of hope.
That line "let the life that has returned in my eyes distract you" - hit me. Oh man.