Jackie Paper Returns

A letter to my father, who will  never read my blog:

My darling Dad,
I will always, always hold dearly the memories you've given me growing up, and especially the thousand songs we've sung together while you played your guitar for me.  I love that we still do this very thing.  When I was a little girl you used to sing Puff the Magic Dragon to me, and I remember you singing the lyrics  but somehow it never occurred to me how very sad the end was.  Perhaps because as a child I still had the wonder of my imagination and the possibility of dragons.  The other day I played this song for Starry and cried for the first time when I heard the ending.

‎"A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

...His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, Puff could not be brave,
So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave."

Once in a while Dad, I like to change an ending.  Great song and I love that you sang it to me, but I can't accept Jackie growing up and not believing in dragons anymore.  Out of countless things you've taught me, the first was to BELIEVE.  I believe in the power and limitless borders of the mind.  And I believe that Jackie Paper does come back and find Puff, and that he never doubted the wonder of his own imagination.

This is in honor of you Dad, and all that you've given me and taught me to believe.