
Daddy's Love was Enough
by Jasmine Harris
Daddy spewed linguist love
Not by saying superlatives but telling tales
Serving stories like water to an avid well
Anecdotal evidence hoping to propel,
guide, and anchor this ship
Cause as one drifts
Through this expedition, don’t be expeditious; rather selectively strategize,
selfish stewardship
Cause one missed method may result in a slip
And one skipped step could sink your battleship
Sunken and halted by mindless methodical misdirection
Daddy’s arms remained open,
even as he scolded,
providing a place for recollection
Persistent to remind me, peace comes before any outward succession
He would say, “Don’t let that be you...
Don’t you dare thrice cry over controls beyond you.”
Daddy trained us to pull-in reigns if tough road rides were too much
“Take care of yourself, “presented patiently polished, providing your own
table and cup
Daddy filled mine, saving me a seat
Filling me up
So I was and will always be rough, tough, abundantly enough
About the Author
Jasmine Harris is a secondary educator and published poet featured in the International Poetry Digest, Ink & Voices, Rigorous, etc. Author of, I May Have Been In My Feelings, focuses her writing on identity, relationships, and the climate of society. Harris frequently quotes her inspirations as Maya Angelou, Ntozake Shange, and Tupac Shakur.