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I lie in here, beside the whitewashed wall,
My hair is gone, my head is bald,
The room is sterile and it's very cold,
Wish you were here, Dad,
I need someone to hold.

I can't breathe, I'm on a machine,
It goes whirr and click, it's such a din,
I've got lung cancer, it's all black inside,
When Mom says smoking causes cancer, Dad,
I think she lied.

I never lit up, even when you did,
I just sat next to you, a small little kid,
You huffed and puffed through your life, Dad,
And Mom always looked so very sad.

My friends asked me to smoke, but I never did,
Because Mom told me from young: smoking is stupid,
It soots up your lungs and blackens your teeth,
So when I see a smoker, Dad, I anger and seethe.

You smoked two packs a day but you're still healthy and strong,
I hate smokers, Dad, but I never thought you wrong,
I love you, Dad, I always sat next to you,
And I know that you always loved me too.

The room here is cold, I see you through the glass,
And I think back to long ago, Dad, of times past,
Of the memories, I recall as much as I can,
There's always been a cigarette, Dad, stuck inside your hand.

I remember the fun things, Dad, all the times we had,
But as I look at you from here, you look so very sad,
You're not smoking, Dad, no cigarette I can see on you,
Maybe it's just the hospital, and this is the ICU.

My breathing becomes labored, I don't think I'll live,
Well, I tried my best, I gave all I had to give,
But one thing, Dad, I cannot comprehend,
I'm not a smoker, so why is my life about to end?

Author Unknown

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