Where did my little girl go, one

Day he came home and wasn't

On the phone as usual, didn't have

Appointments to attend and broken

Mergers to mend, he was in time to

See her get off the bus, usually, he

Didn't get home until just

After she was in bed for the night

And left before the sun broke light

She came in the front door, dropped

The mail on the floor, he noticed

Pink streaks in her hair, of his

Presence she wasn't even aware, she

Laughed on her cell, said aloud

"Oh, what the hell," he was taken

Aback, he didn't realize she spoke

Like that, Saturdays and Sundays, he was

Usually out of town, it had been a

While since he'd seen her smile, but

He was the one who hadn't been around

He looked at her clothes, couldn't

Believe she was wearing those, what

Do you call a shirt that shows

Nothing but skin and pants so tight you

Can't breathe in, she rolled her eyes

And said "Whatever, bae"

That statement alone made his

Heartstrings fray and made him

Choke a little on his vanilla frappe

She was seventeen, but, wow,

He wasn't ready, and her next

Words left his stance so unsteady

"Well, we used protection..."

His heart begged for resurrection

And left his mind grappling with

Very hard questions

How did she grow up so fast, where

Was he looking as the time flew past,

What sort of father let his daughter

Dress that way, when did she give

Herself to the implied "bae", why

Had he been blind to what was

Taking place, was it too late to

Fix his mistakes, she finally

Noticed him standing there and said

"Hey, Dad, you're here"

With no change in her demeanor and that

Caused his eyes to tear, he watched

Her leave up the stairs, still talking

On the phone, he watched

Until just her exposed back was

Left to show, then he sank to the

Ground below, oh, God, where did my little girl go