Three Poems by Nicole Lee

 https://cicadamag.org/2021/07/14/three-poems-by-nicole-lee/

His House
(a golden shovel poem)

In the house that he built as
the 60s were turning I
find myself standing where I was
once a smart alec kid going
places who sort of looked down
on her parents who wanted the
life reached by climbing a stair
that began somewhere else     I
left home and made good met
people thought & did things a
good girl didn’t found a man
and even married him who
if I’m being honest wasn’t
every father’s dream and there
as the 90s were burning he
gave me away
                         Daddy if I wasn't
the kid you wanted if there
were a chance to see you again
stood on your wooden stair today
like you used to in your shorts I
would say oh daddy how I wish
for nothing more how I wish that
you were still that young man
proud in the house that would
one day stop us letting you go
and even now won’t slip away