For My Daughter By David Ignatow

For His Daughter
A father’s love for his child knows no bounds, not even when faced with imminent death. When cherished people are separated, all that is left of them are memories and possessions. When people pass on, their loved ones left behind must find ways to cope with the loss. In the poem “For My Daughter” by David Ignatow, he shares words of comfort for his child to help her prepare for his inevitable expiry.

Assigning an object of permanence such as the “star,” creates a familiarity that the narrator is hoping will bring solace to his mourning daughter when he slips away. Stars look down upon Earth much like a parent watching over their child. A star is a stable source of light that appears every night, giving the feeling of not being alone until she joins him in the endless void of death. Ultimately, everyone passes away and becomes nothing as memories fade and materials turn to ruin. In naming the star as her reminder of her father, it also displays how insignificant a single life is in the vast scheme of the universe. The reminder of always having him around, though sweet, is also a façade to make her feel better through the grieving process. Although he cannot control where he goes after life, his daughter can choose where she would like to picture him being and let that comfort her.

He wants to comfort his daughter, but not coddle her. Though the narrator states that “I may shine down on you,” (12) it still does not change that he has no idea where his soul will go after he dies. He wrote this to provide a sense of shadowing his daughter throughout her life even when he is not physically