Letter to His Daughter

When the light fails, say
this is the time for the light to fail,
the time I expected, and wrap yourself
in the darkness, which has fur
inside it and hums old animal tunes.

I won't be there, but I will.
A room will be there, and water
from a tap, and street sounds
that echo the words two stars
exchanged long years ago:

one star said, Fay, and the other nodded
and said, Fay, back. These stars knew,
and have been trying ever since to tell
the world what they knew. Remember
you've got a purpose. The stars need you

to make them come true.

--Philip Dacey
Copyright © 1990 by Free Lunch Arts Alliance

Other Poets/Other Poems

Kimberly Blaeser, Issue 27

Jared Carter, Issue 24

David Chorlton, Issue 40

Billy Collins, Issue 1, Issue 18

Steven Coughlin, Issue 39

Philip Dacey, Issue 6

Stephen Dunn, Issue 34

David Hernandez, Issue 23

Norma Hammond, Issue 22

Lisa Kadous, Issue 20

Mary Lucina, Issue 26

Len Roberts, Issue 2

Cathy Song, Issue 21

R. T. Smith, Issue 38

Charles Harper Webb, Issue 25

Bayla Winters, Issue 3

Lila Zeiger, Issue 4

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