To My Father: Thank You for Throwing Me Away

Exhale, it's been a long journey for sure,
Through the heartache, I've found a cure.
From the shadows of your absence, I grew,
And now, Dad, I have something to say to you.
Thank you for throwing me away,
For leaving me behind, day by day.
Your absence was a wound, deep and raw,
But in the pain, I found my own law.
I begged for your love until I was fifty,
But all it did was leave me empty.
You saw me as a mistake, an unwanted trace,
But I found strength in your cold embrace.
In your rejection, I found my own light,
Dancing with demons in the darkest night.
I learned to love myself, whole and true,
A love far stronger than anything from you.
Through Hurricane Katrina and the deepest despair,
I vowed to heal, to find myself there.
Burned to ashes, I rose anew,
Finding peace and a life so true.
Father's Day comes, and I no longer yearn,
For the love I sought but had to learn.
Thank you for the lesson, harsh and true,
In losing you, I found my value anew.
To anyone chasing a father's love in vain,
Remember, through the fire, you can gain.
Pour your heart into loving you,
The peace on the other side is worth the view.
Thank you, Dad, for throwing me away,
For it led me to the love I have today.
In your absence, I found my own way,
And for that, I thank you, no matter what happens.