I'm Not Afraid of You No More

[couchgrouch]

I'm Not Afraid of You No MoreRandy was a bony kid with an asthma inhalerhis gin-soaked dad made him feel like a failureschoolyard bullies treated him cruelhe'd come home wheezing and crying from schoolto a yard fulla bottles, weeds and cinderblockshis drunken father preached about the final hourand how God was swift to punish cowardshe'd beat Randy and Randy'd run to bedpull a homemade pillow over his headcos booze made his dad's heart a tinderboxbut if he survived his dadbullies were nothin' at allso one day he fought backand though he lost he stood tall and saidI'm not afraid of you no moreI'm not afraid of you no moreI may lose...I may winbut I won't run againcos I'm not afraid of you no moreone night Randy dumped the old socks from his pillowfilled it with jerky and hitched to Amarillowhere he scrounged work on a cattle ranchwell, years go by but don't go far enoughRandy broke mustangs but all he dreamt ofwas crying when his father raised his handhe went home, found his dad drunkand saw just how small he washe said, "Dad, I love you and wanna makethings right between usbut I'm not afraid of you no moreI'm not afraid of you no moreI'm your flesh and boneyour blood will always be my homebut I'm not afraid of you no more"Randy faced alot and grew up plentybut somehow inside he still felt emptyas he rode the range each dayone morning sunrise set fire to the eastfor the first time Randy felt at peacehe stopped his horse...looked up and began to prayI'm not afraid of you no moreI'm not afraid of you no moreI've learned through time and tearsyour way is love not fearand I'm not afraid of you no more(c)2005 Robert George