A Phone Call with my Father
I called to thank them for my birthday present.
I fill him in on life here,
The latest micro-dramas,
The antics of the dog.
He tells me of life there and how
My mother is working too hard
(as usual).
We worry.
He tells me of mill closings and
Changes in the football roster.
He also fills me in on the latest family gossip
Telling tales of my sister,
Once again proving she's a
BADASS.
And even though she's younger
When I grow up, I want to be
Her.
Three things before you go.
Two are standard father/daughter things.
The third--
You hadn't read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee?
Erm, no.
And then before we hang up,
Before he tells me he loves me,
Before he sends his regards to Dan
(and the dog),
He wishes me good luck,
Knowing full well the world we live in,
The obstacles I face,
But still fully believing
That his little girl can do
Anything.
3 comments:
Love it, Jennie. Especially the last stanza. I know just how your Dad feels :)
Point of football roster clarification: When you live in NE Wisconsin, you have to say ‘Brett Favre” at least once a day. It is an unwritten code of existence. But it is true, like the weather, Brett’s antics are a topic of conversation. Sigh.
As for the poem:
Here I sit with tears in my eyes and my heart pounding. You have captured the moment beautifully. I am honored.
Yes, I believe and yes, you can.
Dad
I like how the fifth stanza fits in there as a contrast. So much left unsaid! My conversations with my dad about books are a lot like that - interjected into another conversation with so much power and direction flowing. Good work here.
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