A little girl,
Maybe eight
Years old
Knock knocked
On my door today

I look down and see
Big, brown eyes
Staring back up at me
Blowing escaped strands
Out of her small face

She straightens and
Holds out a clear,
Porcelain pig
With a slot
For coins at the top

She rattles it,
And I hear the
Chink chink
Of the coins
Against the glass

Serious as ever
The girl begins
To speak to me
Voice soft, innocent



“Do you have a daddy?”
She asks
I nod my head,
Speechless

“Me too
But not right now
He’s in a bad place
All alone
I bet he’s scared
I’d be scared

But mommy told me
If we get money
He can come back
I really want him too

But we don’t
Have any money
And I really
Miss my daddy
Do you ever
Miss your daddy?”

Tears spring to my eyes
As I assure her
That I miss my daddy too
And I tell her
About how
He’s in a bad place too