By Wade Erickson
Date: 12 November 1998

A Plea For Their Return

Up the stairs
My two sons sleeping on my shoulders
Time with them was so very precious
Many nights I caressed her womb
Feeling their little nudges at the sound of my voice
Their mom I love dearly and faithfully
She brought me these angels
Vowing they would always be taken care of
In spite of it all
They also needed a father and a husband
My job consumed the chances to be a dad
My wife felt she raised them alone
A paycheck came every two weeks
Money cannot replace a loving father
Cold candle light dinners
A lonely woman cried out on the pillow
We slept together
Yet so very alone
Should of said I loved her dearly
That one night I put them to bed
I cried in joy
One night I returned home late 
Had to make a delivery in another state
Their was a crib with no children
Dresser was emptied
Pictures vanished
Clothes, diapers and baby items absent 
Everything I loved was gone
She left me stealing my kids
Tomorrow in court 
She’ll take my children away
They addressed me as an unfit father
The lack of responsibility and time to be called a dad
Do they realize I was only trying to provide?
Give them a better life to live then I had
A tearful plea was spoke
In hopes they would not take them away
A crying man left the courtroom 
A lonely man with nothing
I can still see them playing
Rolling over for the first time
The baby smell
Still lingers in an outfit left behind
Burp stains on an old shirt
These tiny hands grasping my fingers
Bluest of blue eyes staring in wonder
Soft skin with which to give kisses
I think of them often
They moved half way around the world
To where I know not
A few years have gone
An occasional card or letter
With no return address 
Their handwriting makes me cry
I still dream of them
No one can take those away from me
I miss them dearly
This time of the year 
Brings such sadness
Today is the day they left
An old bridge stands
Where her and I met
She stands their now crying
This weariness causing delusions 
I have been clung to the railing all day
The only clothing I have left
  Clenched in frozen fingers
It still smells of my boys
These are my only reminders
The swirling river below churns
Sobbing I ask the Lord to watch over them
Bless them and keep them safe
Tell them their daddy loved them so very much
That I am sorry
And when your ready to accept me
Please send your angels
My fingers are pried from the rail
Small hands below grasp my palms
It is time to come home
Trembling tears turn to the angels
Picked them up to my shoulders and wept