A devoted father for 18 years <br />Now a hollow shell <br />Slowly filled by the tears <br />Of forced separation <br />By an angry ex-bride <br />Using the children as weapons <br />To assuage her anger inside. <br /> <br />That I dared to call time <br />On the treatment from Hell <br />Of the man she was supposed to support <br />Through the bad times as well. <br /> <br />Access agreements <br />May as well be written in sand <br />As the primary carer has an unbeatable hand <br />Where the only punishment for breaking them is jail <br />But that would never be actioned <br />So legal action will cost but fail. <br /> <br />So the children grow scarred <br />Denied the fatherly love they long <br />Wondering why I abandoned them <br />What they did wrong. <br /> <br />I abandoned them, have a new life, won't pay money <br />They'll be told <br />As a means for control <br />To tighten her hold. <br /> <br />And so it continues until childhood is gone <br />Where bonds have been broken for far too long <br />Once childhood is over <br />And the emotional scars have been treated <br />We can only hope that the cycle ends there <br />Not to be repeated. <br /> <br />If love ripples calmly <br />Hate splashes mad <br />Each drop of spite drowns them <br />In hate for their dad. <br /> <br />I forgive her, I forgive her <br />But until she forgives me <br />So many lives will be blighted <br />So I must let it be. <br /> <br />It really doesn't matter <br />When, where or how <br />She may be stopping me being there now <br />But I can see that moment <br />When I hug them again <br />And love finally conquers <br />The hate and the pain. <br /> <br />You see, they don't know it now, <br />And won't until they are free <br />But fatherly love comes <br />With a lifetime guarantee.<br /><br />Wu Wei<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/parental-alienation/
