Father's Day

James Tate

 
     My daughter has lived overseas for a number
of years now. She married into royalty, and they
won't let her communicate with any of her family or
friends. She lives on birdseed and a few sips
of water. She dreams of me constantly. Her husband,
the Prince, whips her when he catches her dreaming.
Fierce guard dogs won't let her out of their sight.
I hired a detective, but he was killed trying to
rescue her. I have written hundreds of letters
to the State Department. They have written back
saying that they are aware of the situation. I
never saw her dance. I was always at some
convention. I never saw her sing. I was always
working late. I called her My Princess, to make
up for my shortcomings, and she never forgave me.
Birdseed was her middle name.
 
From The Ghost Soldiers by James Tate. Copyright © 2008 by James Tate. Reprinted by permission of Ecco / HarperCollins. All rights reserved.

Poems by This Author

Camp of No Return by James Tate
I sat in the old tree swing without swinging. My loafer
How the Pope is Chosen by James Tate
It Happens Like This by James Tate
I was outside St. Cecelia's Rectory
My Great Great Etc. Uncle Patrick Henry by James Tate
There's a fortune to be made in just about everything
Restless Leg Syndrome by James Tate
Success Comes to Cow Creek by James Tate
I sit on the tracks,
Teaching the Ape to Write Poems by James Tate
They didn't have much trouble
The List of Famous Hats by James Tate
Napoleon's hat is an obvious choice I guess to list as a famous
The Lost Pilot by James Tate
Your face did not rot


Further Reading

More Audio Clips
Gold
by Donald Hall
M. Degas Teaches Art & Science at Durfee Intermediate School, Detroit 1942
by Philip Levine
New Stanzas for Amazing Grace
by Allen Ginsberg
Sally's Hair
by John Koethe
Still
by A. R. Ammons
The Idea of Order at Key West
by Wallace Stevens
The Junior High School Band Concert
by David Wagoner
The Portrait
by Stanley Kunitz
The Question answerd
by William Blake
The Red Poppy
by Louise Glück
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost