My Brother
I WISH YOU'D HAD AN OLDER BROTHER
LIKE I HAVE, AND BROTHER DAVE.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD YOU TO LOOK UP TO,
AND COULD LISTEN TO THE COUNSEL YOU GAVE.
BUT GOD SAW FIT TO HAVE YOU CHART
THE COURSE, AND CLUE US IN.
IT'S TRUE WE VACILATED A LOT,
BUT YOUR VOICE CAME THRU LIFE'S DIN.
TAKE HEART MY BIG BROTHER,
AS WITH CHILDREN, ALL'S NOT LOST,
WE WATCHED; DILIGENCE, PERSISTENCE
AND INTEGRITY, REGARDLESS OF THE COST.
AS I LOOK BACK O'RE THE WAY I'VE LIVED
THO' DOING THE BEST I COULD,
I SEE MISTAKES APLENTY,
IF ONLY I COULD CHANGE THEM, I WOULD.
I GUESS YOU NEVER KNEW IT
OR WERE TOO BUSY, DIDN'T SEE,
BUT I WAS ALWAYS LOOKING AT YOU,
AND WISHING LIKE YOU, I'D BE.
WHEN I FAILED IN THE PAST, I'D SAY
"ALLEN WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT THAT WAY."
I'D BERATE ME, THEN PICK MYSELF UP,
AND TRY TO DO BETTER NEXT DAY.
I WANTED YOUR SMILE AND APPROVAL,
TO HEAR YOU SAY, "WELL DONE."
I GUESS PERHAPS I TRIED TOO HARD,
AFTER ALL, I'M NOT YOUR SON.
BEING THE OLDEST BROTHER
MUST BE VERY HARD TO DO.
YOU HAVE NO PRESET PATTERN,
AND NO ONE TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH.
SO LET ME SAY, MY BROTHER,
I'VE ALWAYS RESPECTED YOU,
THANK GOD YOU'RE THE ONE HE CHOSE
FOR ME TO LOOK UP TOO.
I LOVE YOU BIG BROTHER, EVEN IF I DON'T ALWAYS SHOW IT OR SAY IT.