The Days I Missed

[intro] [Verse 1] I chased my dreams through crowded streets, While you, my son, embraced your beats. Missed your oath, the uniform you wore, Missed the day they shipped you to a distant shore. [Verse 2] I wasn't there to see you off, to say goodbye, Lost in my own world, under the same sky. Yet when they brought you back, a flag without a name, Holding your mom up, as I drowned in blame. [Chorus] The days I missed, the moments gone, Haunted by the echoes of a forgotten song. An empty casket draped, you were lost to the sea, I stood there, son, wishing it was me. [Verse 3] The porch kept aging, as did we, Swinging slow, lost in memory. Then that day, washing away my guilt in the sun, I heard your voice, thought I was the only one. [Bridge] A squeeze so real, on my shoulder, I froze, Eyes shut tight, amidst the garden rose. Heard my name, a whisper soft and clear, Dared to hope, as I fought back the fear. [Verse 4 - original verse melody] Turning slow, the world a blur, There you stood, my heart began to stir. "Not too late, Dad," you said with a smile so wide, In that moment, my heart swelled with pride. [Chorus] The days I missed, the moments gone, Haunted by the echoes of a forgotten song. An empty casket draped, you were lost to the sea, I stood there, son, wishing it was me. [Outro] Now you're home, son, the missing years a heavy cost, In our garden, no more memories lost. Together again, where the shadows meet the light, [Outro] Through my tears, everything's made right.