I was twenty‑six when the world went dim, Mama died, and you ran from the wind. You raised me up, taught me right from wrong, But grief hit hard and you were gone. House got quiet, your boots weren’t there, Just empty rooms and unanswered prayers. Folks said you were hurting, said you lost your way, But pain ain’t a reason for a father to stray. [Chorus] You’re the absent father, the man who walked out, Left me standing in the wreckage, drowning in doubt. I buried her alone, carried all that weight, While you disappeared behind some out‑of‑state gate. You’re the absent father, and I learned to survive, Built my backbone from the ashes of that night she died. [Verse 2] I waited for a call, waited for your truck, Waited for a sign you hadn’t given up. But waiting turns bitter when months roll on, And a grown man learns how to live alone. You missed the funeral, missed the tears I shed, Missed the nights I drank just to clear my head. You chased your silence, I chased my pain, And somehow I rose up just the same. [Chorus] You’re the absent father, the man who walked out, Left me standing in the wreckage, drowning in doubt. I buried her alone, carried all that weight, While you disappeared behind some out‑of‑state gate. You’re the absent father, and I learned to survive, Built my backbone from the ashes of that night she died. [Bridge] If you stand at my grave one lonesome day, Touch the stone and whisper my name, You’ll feel the years you threw away, The time you never tried to stay. [Verse 3 – Tribute Verse] But I wasn’t alone, God sent me some men, Who stepped in strong where you should’ve been. Lewis showed me the way of the Lord, Put a Bible in my hands when my spirit was torn. Ellis pushed me hard, wouldn’t let me fall, Taught me what leadership really means after all. And Pat gave me a chance at a life brand new— Three good men doing what one father couldn’t do. [Final Chorus] You’re the absent father, but I found my way, Built my strength from hurt, lived day by day. You weren’t there to teach me how to stand, So I carved my own path, became my own man. You’re the absent father, and that truth won’t fade— But I rose from the fire with the help those good men made
