12/02—5/69

the days have kept on coming, 
daddy or not.      the cracks
in the sidewalk turn green
and the Indian woman sell pussywillows
on the corner.     nothing remembers.
everything remembers.
in the days where daddy was
there is a space.

my daddy died as he lived,
a confident man.
“I’ll go to Heaven,” he said,
“Jesus knows me.”
when his leg died, he cut it off.
“It’s gone,” he said, “it’s gone
but I’m still here.”

what will happen to the days
without you
my baby whispers to me.
the days have kept on coming
and daddy’s gone.
he knew.
he must have known and
i comfort my son with the hope
the life in the confident man.