You’re the provider and protector, at least that’s what’s expected,
Bringing home the bacon and shielding them from danger,
No rest for the weary when precious lives are on the line,
The missus and the little ones counting on you time after time,
Comes with the territory, Sonny, you were bred for working,
Made tougher, naturally, to keep the world turning,
No time for worry and self-pity, chasing happiness is folly,
It was never yours to claim, as they say, at least not beyond temporarily.
She leans on you to keep that roof overhead, to ensure the kids stay fed, to pay bills and keep you miles ahead,
Young eyes look to you as superman, if it needs fixing, Daddy got it,
The coolest guy, their hero and best mate, their guide and teacher, a jack of all his trades,
Might feel overwhelming but there’s no hiding from it,
Don’t let ‘em catch you blubbering when times are trying, sack up and get going,
Knees can’t be buckling when you’re holding the foundations,
From that your value stems, from what you do for ‘em,
But you’re only human, flesh and blood,
Capable of feeling, not a mindless robot,
To be unbreakable is admirable, hard work is admired,
But what of your own peace of mind?
You, too, deserve the sun’s warmth,
To pause and take a breath in the midst of this crazy world,
If you’re going to carry the load for them you better shake off excess burdens,
You better be functioning proper, they need you at optimum levels,
And you’d be remiss to dismiss the challengers with which they’re grappling,
Everyone’s got their battles, some you can’t fight for ‘em
She carried your legacy, birthed them nine months later,
Trod that path twice more, a journey you’ll never know,
She’s keeping house while you’re hustling, the primary caregiver of young lives,
And she’s at it, too, while on her own nine-to-five,
Theirs might be smaller fires, you’d worn their shoes previously,
You and her can guide ‘em through the heat, but the hose is in their hands, boots on their feet.
Props to you if you can ease their troubles, but show up, too, for yourself,
You ain’t nothing if you’re a mess, how the hell are you supposed to help?
Seek help if needed, no need to bottle it,
A best friend or a sibling, maybe even your parents,
And if she notices your’re bothered, by all means inform her,
Unions guaranteed to crumble once you start keeping secrets,
But be wary of dumping it all on her, don’t make them her problems,
Your demons ain’t her battle, gotta shield her, too, from them,
Your role is to protect and provide, ensure theirs are easier lives,
That’s just life, Brother, only the strong survive.