Letters To The Grave

You've never actually met me
But I loved you no less
You were strangers to me
The man and woman
In a photograph
That I was supposed to love
But I never loved you just because I was told
I loved you because without you I wouldn't be here

I don't know how many times
I asked my father, your son
To take me to see you
To see the life you led
To meet you face to face
To be loved by you in the flesh
It didn't seem fair that my brothers
Got that luxury which was
Never extended to me
Dad always assumed I wouldn't care
That I'd go on without knowing you

I am going on and doing well
But a part of me is missing
And that's you...

Who are you really?
What did I miss by never having met you?
What did I miss that I would have enjoyed?
I was being sheltered from you, or you from me
Against my will...
Dad said you were "too old"
And "too frail"
And that it would be best to
Visit after you were dead

He assured me that it wouldn't be long
And if we didn't wait that long
Neither of you would know who I was
I didn't really care about that,
if nothing else I would know it was you
Dad thought it would be too painful
I disagree... it's more painful this way
I wanted to see you outside
the confines of a photograph
For once in my life
I never got that chance
But I didn't love you any less

Now if my father ever says "let's go to Italy"
I'll tell him no, because my reason is gone
And I will never be able to get it back
I have cried for you today
I am crying now...
The granddaughter you've never met
In a place you've never been
I don't want to go now knowing you're gone
Not with Dad anyway
I just don't...