Day 12 - PAD Challenge - Daddy's City Girl

The farm where I grew up
As soon I read the prompt, write a city poem, for today's WD 2014 April PAD Challenge, I heard my Daddy's voice calling me his "city girl" when I was growing up. He often affectionately teased me with this nickname because, well, I wasn't much of a farm girl... I didn't care for what living on a farm required - in particular, I hated getting dirty. So I allowed this one to simmer today until I finally decided how I wanted to say it. Given the prompt I suppose I should have chosen a picture of a city for the photo, but it just didn't feel right for me. Instead, I chose a pic from the farm where I grew up.

This one is for my Daddy...



Daddy's City Girl

Strolling through the woods
Crossing the creek
Standing on a fallen log
I dreamed of skyscrapers
I longed for bustling streets
I imagined night life at the ready
Daddy called me his city girl
Setting tobacco
Canning food from the garden
Carrying wood for the fire
I dreamed of office work
Eating at a different restaurant every night
Heat at my fingertips
Daddy called me his city girl
I woke each morning
Figured out a plan
Stretched my limits
Worked to find a way out
I saw the city as my salvation
Daddy called me his city girl
As I sit as a desk typing each day
I miss the sun on my face from farm work
As I walk city streets
I search for trees and waterfalls
As I plant my garden each year
I recall how garden vegetables top store bought
As I cook my meals
I see how a restaurant never holds the love of home-cooked
As I turn on my gas fireplace
I still don’t miss carrying wood for the fire…
Still, Daddy’s city girl has found

A bit of country in her heart
T. L. Cooper is an author and poet whose work aims to empower and inspire through an exploration of the human condition. Her poems, short stories, articles, and essays have appeared online, in books, and in magazines. Her published books include a collection of short stories, Soaring Betrayal, her Silhouette Poetry Series, and a novel, All She Ever Wanted. She grew up on a farm in Tollesboro, Kentucky. She currently lives in Albany, Oregon with her husband and three cats.

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