He was a boy with ungrounded roots,

Then he grew up and gave me mine

He was his little girl's very best friend,

He was my hero of all time

He was perfect, and he was my daddy

 

He was a musical genius, 

Though he'd never admit it

And traveled the U.S. playing guitar

He was a brave man in many ways,

Fought in a war and went afar

 

He was my teacher in loving music,

He bought a piano and taught me its way

We played together often,

My part Don Henley, his Stevie Ray

 

He was sweet in life's most precious moments,

He treated me all the time

He would cook my favorite Hamburger Helper,

And buy me a popsicle on his dime

 

Then suddenly in college, it seemed all life came unfurled.

It was right before my 21st birthday and the phone rang.

Then my world came crashing down.

 

Next it was a countdown.

A race against the obvious.

A hope. A prayer. A plea.

 

God said yes.

He was there.

He made it to my wedding day.

I wasn't sure if he would make it down the aisle. 

 

I felt his frail hands so shaky on me,

His weak arm entwined in mine

We took the smallest steps ever known,

And didn't walk in time

 

The music faded before we reached,

The goal we'd had for months

Yet long after the music did stop,

We reached the front of the church

 

He could barely stand one moment longer.

He kissed me goodbye, and he gave me away.

And in so many ways, I was still his little girl.

He was perfect, and more than ever, 

He was my daddy.