An Athlete's Prayer

He beat me with his words

and shunned me

Never comforted me with his hands 

I could never understand

Why aren't you proud of your daughter?

My true desires he didn't care to cater

I felt like nothing more to him than a ball player 

Ninth grade is when I realized I hated the sport

"It's just not fun anymore", I tried to explain

But to him that was only detrimental 

"Why would you waste your time and bury your potential?"

It was then I concluded

I would only make him happy if in college I was recruited

Tenth grade I earned the All-League Award

I saw a smile on his face begin to emerge

I'm doing something right, now 

But I didn't feel the joy, I need to write now

In between the arguments and tears somehow

Our relationship was dying but my talent's alive now

Eleventh grade and I'm playing more than ever

Days in and days out I'm dazed thinking about it

I know he loves me, I'd never doubt it

and I know he cares

But he's never there because he's the one I pull away from

I write my cares page after page until I'm freed

My voice in every line 

My heart in every phrase

Ninth grade is when I realized I hated the sport

But I was too good, he could never let me quit

I'm in college now and this sport's still got me whipped