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Prison Poem

Dedicated to families who have the emotional trauma of telling a child that their Daddy has been incarcerated.

Daddy's Gone

© Alison Henderson
How do you sit down and talk to your son
and tell him that his Daddy has gone
It's easier explaining the meaning of death
and why people die and draw their last breath.

But Daddy, he's gone to no peaceful heaven
Instead he's in prison and serving a seven
so how do you sit down and tell your own son
the why's and the reason's his Daddy has gone?

" Listen my son, you'll need to be strong
Daddy has done something terribly wrong
He's gone in to prison for quite a long time
and this is what happens when you commit crime"

" Daddy still loves us, he'll phone and he'll write
ring you to wish you goodnight and sleep tight
we can sit down together and write him a letter
it'll make Daddy smile and make him feel better"

" We can go and see Daddy perhaps once a week
to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek
you can draw Daddy pictures and paintings at school
to put on his wall which will look really cool "

I tried telling my son with emotional tact
the truth of the matter, you can't hide the fact
his Daddy has gone and has gone for a while
you can't say it with flowers or manage a smile.

So how do you sit down and talk to your son
and answer his question's why Daddy has gone
all you can do is just tell him your way............
and pray to the lord he'll be home soon one day.

Votes: 151

Rating: 4.72

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Published: 12/29/2007

Share a Story (7)

 
My daughters are 4 & 2 now but, were only 2 and 11 months when there daddy went to prison. My oldest was and still is a daddy's girl. I had no clue what to tell her when I returned home from the court house the day they took her daddy to prison. So I told her, with the advise of a lady from church, that daddy went to big boy school to learn a lesson and as soon as he was done he would be back. Still to the day she cries every night for her daddy and my 2 year old has no clue what a daddy is.

jamie Submitted on Thursday, August 21, 2008

I wanted to send my love to all families that are separated from their loved ones. I was looking for poems and ended up in this place reading this poem and feeling my loved for all of you that are suffering.
I send you healing and would like to share some words from behind the veil from a brother of mine. Be blessed beautiful ones.

Nico Submitted on Friday, September 25, 2009

This poem made me realize there is no right way to tell your son where his daddy is when they are sentenced to do some time in prison...I'm 7 days away from my due date and I'm scared to do this all alone for quite some time and I kept wondering how will I tell my son when he asks why we always go to the prison to see daddy and why he can't be home with us.

chelsea Submitted on Friday, October 09, 2009

My husband was sent to jail April 20th 2009. I was 6 months pregnant with our first child at the time. He is now in prison serving an 8 1/2 year sentence. Our first born daughter will not know what a wonderful father she has. He's made mistakes but he IS NOT his mistakes. This nightmare is just beginning for us and I'm looking forward to the day when all this will be over. I was online looking for poems to send to him.....the ones that Alison Henderson has wrote have been wonderful. I especially loved the one titled, The forgotten victim. It really hit home. Thank you for sharing these beautiful thoughts from the heart Alison. Thank you again and my heart goes out to everyone who visits these sites with loved ones away from them.

Courtney, North Carolina Submitted on Friday, January 08, 2010

Yes, I liked this poem because it made me feel safe knowing others have had to randomly come home and tell their children that Daddy isn't coming home tonight or any night soon. I have 2 kids, 3 and 4 and Dad has only been gone for 3 weeks and it has been a very hard transition for me and the kids. I just tell them to be strong and I told them that Daddy is in "time-out." For others that have to go through what I do, keep your head up!!! For our children, for ourselves!

Kristina, Minnesota Submitted on Wednesday, June 09, 2010

after reading this it gave me the courage to sit down with my son and& explain why daddy is never around and why he has never met him. I was 6 months pregnant when his father was sent to prison to do a 5 year stint... but amazingly, he seems to already know & love his father as if he's been here all along.?? he turns 1 in two months. 1st birthday alone. we are hoping to have him home for his second!!! FINGERS CROSSED

Iyshar, New Zealand Submitted on Friday, July 23, 2010

This poem really hit home. The father of my two children was just sentenced to 2 years in jail a week before our oldest son's 3rd birthday. How do I tell him daddy isn't going to be there for his birthday? Our other son is only 3 months old so by the time his daddy comes home he'll be walking and talking. It seems so unfair that he is gone.

Kristine, Texas Submitted on Saturday, August 21, 2010

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