my father died in 1984
i haven’t been able to remember his voice since 1986
and the sound of a voice
is the most precious thing to me
but this morning
your twang brought back synapses who longed for three decades to remember
“Daddy loves you, Alicia, be a good girl”
(and i died a thousand deaths in the minutes still ringing after)
and how five minutes later
out the front door
would go all my mother’s clothing
and our Zenith console TV
thank you for that
saddle up, cowboy
give me immortality
you’re so much like daddy
be the death of me