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Friday 1 February 2013

DADDY'S GIRL

He revelled in their envy - 'How could he have sired
Such a beautiful daughter?'
If there was a secret, he hid it well

And never thought of it - only
Of how proud she made him, and protecting her
From dubious influences.

Then as her sixteenth birthday approached,
He planned a lavish party
With no expense spared for his princess.

Oh how they ogled
His little-girl-lost with golden curls
In satin bows;

All innocence, in need of cosseting
And shielding from
The wicked ways of a society

That would corrupt and turn her
Into one of those common girls:
Painted, too easy;

Chewing gum and smoking weed,
While rolling around
Doing God-knows-what with boys

Unworthy of her -
Fulfilling their sordid fantasies:
Soiling the purity

Of an Angel raised on champagne and caviar
To be a Goddess:
A look-but-don't-dare-touch

China doll,
Too good for any but one
Of true blue blood...


But after midnight and out of sight
Of doting Daddy,
The Goddess slipped her celestial leash.

'It was his blue eyes!'
She claimed, when swelling belly later betrayed
A spectacular fall from grace.

And Daddy, distraught and ego-wounded,
Lashed out;
Became bitter and defencive Mr. Angry:

'She always had
Such base appetites,' he wailed,
'Just like my cheating wife and that

No-good, guitar-strumming bum
Who gave her that face
And a body to corrupt the saints.

I've devoted my life to that girl,
And she's brought me nothing but shame!'

And how he wallowed in their sympathy
For the martyrdom he'd endured.



 

14 comments:

  1. Ygraine this was very powerful. A very evocative portrayal of a complicated father-daughter relationship.

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    1. Many thanks Keith.
      I guess there would be a downside to having such a 'doting daddy' Hehe :D
      I'm so glad my relationship with my father was much simpler!!

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  2. Poor Daddy such a martyr! I love this Ygraine you have a talent for painting with words. I saw the whole drama play out delightfully while I savoured each word. Fabulous write once again!

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    1. Hi Rose,
      Thought this one was going to go horribly wrong, as I developed writer's block in the middle of it,
      but you have made my day!
      Thank you so much xx

      Delete
  3. it seems the father brought his own pain about. oh, the ego and how much it destroys. i loved this poem. so psychologically deep again. so much between the lines in these lives you give birth to with your talent. xoxo

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    1. To be honest, Nyssa, I'm not altogether sure where this one came from!
      It began with the idea of a devoted father, then just seemed to write itself.
      I agree with you about the ego. Nothing good ever comes from building one's self-esteem on so fragile a thing, does it?!
      Many thanks for your kind words of encouragement. xxx

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  4. Amazingly written! I felt the proudness daddy had and how it became scarred with shame and humiliation. I also felt the daughter longing to find her self. A very deep and powerful description.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your visit and your comments.
      Perhaps if Daddy had allowed her to just be herself... and daughter had expressed her true feelings... then maybe it would have made for a more balanced relationship...but then I'm no expert!! Hehe:D

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  5. I guess there's consolation in being the martyr when the dream has gone for ever. Great tale, well told.

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    1. Thank you Dave.
      Thank goodness I wasn't born male.
      Would hate to end up like 'Daddy'...such humiliation would probably kill me!! Hehe:D

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  6. I don't understand conditional love.


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    1. No, me neither! Brings nothing but grief :/

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  7. Brilliant! I love the way you prepare the reader for the dénouement. A really good poem. Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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    Replies
    1. Many thanks Cuban!

      Greetings from Sunny (for the moment, anyway!) Hampshire :)

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