The Thing Her Father Said that Hurt Her

For days she tries to understand—
nuance of voice, shift of gaze….
In her life there are many shapes.
In a dream she lays her hand
on her father’s arm and he turns
into a small gray owl.
From the wood of his heart
her father carves a white moon.
She steps out into the cold
long enough to see it rising.











Mark Simpson is involved in farming and forestry on Whidbey Island, Washington. His work has appeared in a number of magazines. His chapbook, Fat Chance, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2013.

See more of his work in 7.4 and 7.4