For Dad

The voice changed me, and I am changed,
transformed into that which is not bent,
broken, unable to function.

I thought the voice had lost me, given up on me,
taken my privilege away, but it would never do that.
The voice will always be patient with me, give me another chance
to triumph, and I am grateful for the chance, more chances,
millions of chances that give me life
and never take it away.

The voice always accepts me, listens to me,
makes the day brighter and longer and better
and I will never take it for granted again.

Reason makes me whole, glues my broken pieces together
and forces them to stick, because it wants nothing from me,
only love, only respect, only a presence, that is enough,
not too much, never too little.

Whatever I say is not always right, but it is always okay,
never wrong, never denied, never rejected.
The voice glows and I shine with it.

I love you for your grace, for giving me a million chances
on top of a million chances to continue, to be brave,
to give of myself when I need to give and to take
only what I need to make it through this.

My father loves me, and if no one else does,
I know that to be true. Thank you Dad,
because you find light in blinding darkness,
and you burn brightest of all.