crawling up into daddy's lap
when dad was still
DADDY
nodding my head against his chest soaking in the comfort of his heart
LISTENING
to the thump...thump
somewhere beneath muscle
and breastbone I remember his arms
their sublime
ENCIRCLING
and the shawdow of his voice
"I love you, little girl.
Put away your bad dreams.
Daddy's here"
I put them away, Until Daddy became my nightmare that one that came
HOME
from work everyday and instead
of picking me up, chased me far
far
away
