Letter to His Daughter

Letter to His Daughter
By Philip Dacey

When the light fails, say
this is the time for the light to fail,
the time I expected, and wrap yourself
in the darkness, which has fur
inside it and hums old animal tunes.

I won't be there, but I will.
A room will be there, and water
from a tap, and street sounds
that echo the words two stars
exchanged long years ago:

one star said, Fay, and the other nodded
and said, Fay, back. These stars knew,
and have been trying ever since to tell
the world what they knew. Remember
you've got a purpose. The stars need you

to make them come true.