I still cling to the image
Of the sweet little bright-eyed soul
That camped out underneath my wing
When we were kids
Your sensitive heart, your vulnerable disposition
Won the hearts of everyone
They melted in your presence
You brought joy to us all
But then the darkness began to spread
For reasons I can never pretend to understand
The demons spoke and you listened
So we all chased you deep into hell
And beyond
One by one those who once stood by you turn away
Addiction is a heavy burden
And some of us aren't strong enough to carry on
Twenty years have come and gone
And a cold reality has settled in
We've chased you and enabled the vicious cycle to continue
If you won't join us in fighting for you
The only choice we have left is to turn away
Sitting by your hospital bed
Watching quietly as infection eats away at your body
I think of your children
And the carnage lying in your wake
I listen as you attempt to manipulate and misdirect
Burying the demons farther in sarcasm and your own brand of humor
The problem is that no one's fooled anymore
Your eyes tell the addict's story
My heart aches for you, brother
I long for your light to return
Don't mistake my absence as a lack of love
I'm still here waiting for you to find your way home