Promptly Poetry Entries (6/20 - 6/21)

For My Father

I don’t remember when it was
that I realized my name was yours
That you had staked a claim
on my future with your name (and
those added letters that feminized it)
that you and I,
though 45 years apart
would be the same

I was five, they told me
It was your strong hand
that took hold of my hair
when the car door opened
and the road tried to take me
Those long locks, curled spirals
of gold that you kept in a bag
In the kitchen drawer

That was how I knew
When I no longer fit on your lap
When you couldn’t carry me
When you found it hard to
say the words
there was a brown bag
of my curls in the kitchen drawer
that said you loved me



Entry for Promptly Poetry Challenge
Week 12 - 8/17/20
Prompt - Write a poem about a friend or family member who played a huge role in your life.