Little Bird

Hailie, I know you miss your mom and I Know you miss your dad when I'm gone, but I'm trying to give you the life that I Never had. I can see you're sad even when You smile, even when you laugh. I can see it in your eyes deep inside You wanna cry 'cause you're scared ain't there. Daddy's with you in your prayers. No more crying, wipe them tears. Daddy's hand all on our hands. We gon' pull together through it. We gon' do it. Lainie, uncle's crazy, ain't he? Yeah, but he loves you, girl, and you better Know it. We're all we got in this world. When it spins, when it swirls, when it whirls, When it twirls. Two little beautiful girls looking Puzzled and dazed. I know it's confusing you. Daddy's always on the move. Mama's always on the news. I try to keep you sheltered from it but Somehow it seems the harder that I try to Do that the more it backfires on me. All the things growing up as Daddy that he Had to see. Daddy don't want you to see But you see just as much as he did. We did not plan it to be this way, Your mother and me but things have got so Bad between us I don't see us ever being Together ever again like we used to be when We was teenagers. But then of course everything Always happens for a reason. I guess it was never meant to be but This is something we have no control over and That's what destiny is. But no more worries, rest your head and go To sleep. Maybe one day we'll wake up and This will just be a dream. I remember that one year when Daddy had no Money. Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up and Stuck 'em under the tree and said, "Someone bought 'em for me 'cause Daddy couldn't buy 'em." I'll never forget that Christmas. I sat up the whole night crying 'cause Daddy Felt like a bum. See, Daddy had a job But his job was to keep the food on The table for you and Mom. And at the time every house that we lived In either kept getting broken into and robbed or Shot up on the block. And your mom was Saving money for you in a jar trying to Start a piggy bank for you so you could Go to college. You almost had a thousand dollars Until someone broke in stole it and I know It hurt so bad it broke your mama's heart And it seemed like everything was just starting to Fall apart. Mom and Dad was arguing a lot So Mama moved back on to Chalmers in the Flat one-bedroom apartment and dad moved back to the Other side of Eight Mile on Navarro and that's When Daddy went to California with his CD and Met Dr. Dre. He flew you and Mama out To see me but Daddy had to work. You and Mama had to leave me. Then you started seeing Daddy on the TV and Mama didn't like it and you and Lainie were Too young to understand it. Mama was a rolling stone. Mama developed a habit And it all happened too fast for either one Of us to grab it. I'm just sorry you Were there and had to witness it first-hand 'cause All I ever wanted to do was just make You proud. Now I'm sitting in this empty house Just reminiscing, looking at you, baby. It just, just trips me out to see how Much you both have grown. It's almost like you're Sisters now. Wow, guess you pretty much are. Daddy's still here. Lainie, I'm talking to you too. Daddy's still here. I like the sound of that Cheer. It's got a ring to it, Shh, Mama's Only gone for the Moment. Hailie, I know you miss your mom and I Know you miss your dad when I'm gone but I'm trying to give you the life that I Never had. I can see you're sad even when You smile, even when you laugh. I can see it in your eyes deep inside You wanna cry 'cause you're scared there. Daddy's with you in your prayers. No crying, wipe them tears. Daddy's hand all on our hands. We gon' pull together through it. We gon' do it. Lainie, uncle's crazy, ain't he? Yeah, but he loves you, girl, and you better Know it. all we got in this world. When it spins, when it swirls, when it whirls, When it twirls. beautiful it seems Abusing you. Daddy's always on the move. Mama's always on the news. I try to keep you sheltered from it, but Somehow it seems the harder that I try to Do that, the more it backfires on me. All the things growing up as Daddy, Daddy had To see. Daddy don't want you to see, but You see just much as he did. We did not plan to be this way, your Mother and me, but things have got so bad Between us, I don't see us ever being together Ever again like we used to be when we Was teenagers. But then of course, everything always Happens for a reason. Like I said, it was never meant to be, But this is something we have no control over And that's what destiny is. But no worries, rest your head and go to Sleep. Maybe one day we'll wake up and this Will all just be a dream. I remember back one year when Daddy had no Money. Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up and Stuck 'em under the tree and said some of Them were from me 'cause Daddy couldn't buy 'em. I'll never forget that Christmas. I sat up the whole night crying 'cause Daddy Felt like a bum. See, Daddy had a job And his job was to keep the food on The table for you and Mom. And at the time, every house that we lived In either kept getting broken into and robbed or Shot up on the block. And your mom was Saving money for you in a jar, trying to Start a piggy bank for you so you could Go to college. Almost had a thousand dollars till Someone broke in and stole it, I know it Hurt so bad, it broke your mama's heart. And it seemed like everything was just starting to Fall apart. Mom and Dad was arguing a lot, So Mama moved back on the Chalmers in the Flat one-bedroom apartment, and Dad moved back to The other side of 8 Mile on Ferrara. And that's when Daddy went to California with his CD and met Dr. Dre. He flew you and Mama out to see me, But Daddy had to work. You and Mama had to leave me. Then you started seeing Daddy on the TV, and Mama didn't like it. And you and Lainie were too young to understand It. Mama was a rolling stone. Mama developed a habit, and it all happened so Fast for either one of us to grab it. I'm just sorry you were there and had to Witness it first-hand, 'cause all I ever wanted to Do was just make you proud. Now I'm sitting in this empty house just Reminiscing, looking at your baby pictures. It just trips me out to see how much You both grown. It's almost like you're sisters now. Wow, guess you pretty much are. Daddy's still here. Lainie, I'm talking to you too. Daddy's still here. I like the sound of that, Yeah. It's got a ring to it, don't Shh, Mama's only gone for the moment.