Father's Song
Yesterday, against admonishment, my daughter balanced on the couch back, fell and cut her mouth. Because I saw it happen I knew she was not hurt, and yet a child's blood so red it stops a father's heart. My daughter cried her tears; I held some ice against her lip. That was the end of it. Round and round: bow and kiss. I try to teach her caution; she tries to teach me risk.
Credit
From The Caged Owl: New and Selected Poems by Gregory Orr. Copyright © 2002 by Gregory Orr. Used by permission of Copper Canyon Press. All rights reserved.
About this Poem
“Father’s Song” was published in The Caged Owl: New and Selected Poems (Copper Canyon Press, 2002).
Author
Gregory Orr

The author of numerous collections of poetry, Gregory Orr is considered by many to be a master of short, lyric free verse.
Date Published: 2002-01-01
Source URL: https://poets.org/poem/fathers-song