STATISTIC

• Artist: Kiy Momo Hope
• Description: I come from a military background and have had both my dad and step dad deploy to Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa several times in my life. They always "brush it off" and act like it's no big deal...but when I have friends lose their fathers in fiery, offal, vicious ways...I know it's not nothing, it's something BIG, and this is my way of telling my dads this.
• Date: 03/12/2009
• Tags: statistic military deploy

Dad,

Don’t you know the risk?
Don’t you know the danger?
Then why do you brush it off—
joke around—
act like it’s nothing?
I don’t know,
but I can’t.

Because people are dying—
getting hurt—
and you tell me,
“No need to worry”?
You must not pay attention,
because it does happen to real people.
It's not just random guys.

And you really have missed a lot,
Dad,
because I feel best when
I worry.

I miss you.
I love you.
So please listen
when I voice
my concerns.

Daddy, I know you’re not
reckless.
I know you’ll be okay.
But please look at me when I tell you,
I don’t want you to be one more
statistic.

I want my hero—
my brave,
ol’ dad—
to come home
to me safely...
not as a number on peice of paper.

Comments

[cloverump]

This is sweet and emotional. It's really awesome actually. Great job.