"Corinne."
Daddy is outside the door, his knuckles on the wood, lettin' me know that he's comin'. I am awake, starin' up at the moon, thinkin' of my mother, wantin' him to leave. I don't respond when he calls my name again, pretendin' that he ain't even there. Cause, even though it ain't true, it makes me feel like I safe.
Daddy comes in anyways,sittin' on the corner of my bed, and watchin' me watch him. His eyes are brown by the light of the sun, but here with the moon, they're real green. It makes me think of that moss growin' up the side of our house, snakin' it's way 'round the edges of my window.
He takes his hand and places it on my own, lacin' his fingers in mine. Against each other I look real dark, cause I ain't as white as him. He seems to notice too, takin' his other thumb and tracin' it alon' where our fingers meet. He places the Holy Book that he'd been carryin' at his side.
"You up real late," he comments, his voice real soft like the wind. I wanna yell at him fo' pretendin', cause I know that the only time he's like wind is when it's blowin' so hard that it knock down the slave shacks. He ain't that gentle breeze that feels like a kiss on your skin.
"You too daddy," I say, "Ain't the mistress in bed waitin' fo' you?"
He brings his shoulders up to the lobes of 'is ears, shruggin'.
"She ain't as important as you," he brings his lips to my cheek, "You my favorite girl, you know that."
I smile at him, dyin' inside. I've heard him say this a million times, but it ain't no easier to hear. I his favorite girl so he reward me.
"You the most best of all," he kisses the side of my chin. "You smart and beautiful and are the most level-headed girl I know."
I want to run, tell 'em to leave me to God. But I jus' look down like I blushin' and say a polite thank you. In return he squeezes my thigh.
Usually when the Mistress 'round, daddy don't come so often. But that don't mean that he stay away forever. And when he does come, he with me a real lon' time.
"Miss. Lizabeth told me 'bout you readin'," he whispers, "She said you got even further lon'."
"Yes, daddy," I say real quiet so he got to lean in close to hear, "I almos' done now."
"That my girl," he kisses me straight on the lips, "That's daddy's little girl."
Daddy is outside the door, his knuckles on the wood, lettin' me know that he's comin'. I am awake, starin' up at the moon, thinkin' of my mother, wantin' him to leave. I don't respond when he calls my name again, pretendin' that he ain't even there. Cause, even though it ain't true, it makes me feel like I safe.
Daddy comes in anyways,sittin' on the corner of my bed, and watchin' me watch him. His eyes are brown by the light of the sun, but here with the moon, they're real green. It makes me think of that moss growin' up the side of our house, snakin' it's way 'round the edges of my window.
He takes his hand and places it on my own, lacin' his fingers in mine. Against each other I look real dark, cause I ain't as white as him. He seems to notice too, takin' his other thumb and tracin' it alon' where our fingers meet. He places the Holy Book that he'd been carryin' at his side.
"You up real late," he comments, his voice real soft like the wind. I wanna yell at him fo' pretendin', cause I know that the only time he's like wind is when it's blowin' so hard that it knock down the slave shacks. He ain't that gentle breeze that feels like a kiss on your skin.
"You too daddy," I say, "Ain't the mistress in bed waitin' fo' you?"
He brings his shoulders up to the lobes of 'is ears, shruggin'.
"She ain't as important as you," he brings his lips to my cheek, "You my favorite girl, you know that."
I smile at him, dyin' inside. I've heard him say this a million times, but it ain't no easier to hear. I his favorite girl so he reward me.
"You the most best of all," he kisses the side of my chin. "You smart and beautiful and are the most level-headed girl I know."
I want to run, tell 'em to leave me to God. But I jus' look down like I blushin' and say a polite thank you. In return he squeezes my thigh.
Usually when the Mistress 'round, daddy don't come so often. But that don't mean that he stay away forever. And when he does come, he with me a real lon' time.
"Miss. Lizabeth told me 'bout you readin'," he whispers, "She said you got even further lon'."
"Yes, daddy," I say real quiet so he got to lean in close to hear, "I almos' done now."
"That my girl," he kisses me straight on the lips, "That's daddy's little girl."
