Transitions

The poem below is an experiment in persona poetry. I love reading persona poetry (and using it to teach students about point of view), but sometimes I find writing persona poetry to be problematic. I think that’s because I’ve put so much time into reminding myself that we all have our own filters and therefore it’s nearly impossible to truly know another’s mind; writing in someone else’s voice can feel presumptuous. However, it is an excellent way to build empathy. Consider the following an attempt to break out of my own filter bubble and to honestly consider how a young woman, newly made very powerful, feels about her father.  *Photo Credit on featured image: Michael Vadon

 

Ivanka Trump, on my father

 

My father trusts me

 

He trusts me with the family business

     just as much as he trusts my brothers

 

He trusts me to be in the room

 

He trusts me to meet with foreign leaders

 

He trusts that I will be successful

     that I will give him good advice

 

He trusts that I will be respectful

     Respectful of my father

     Respectful of my husband

     Respectful of my chosen religion, in all its beauty

He believes that I am beautiful

 

I do not understand why others find that creepy

     I find it creepy that others obsess over where he places his hands when he greets me,

what he says about my beauty when interviewed:

     It is my beauty being discussed

     It is my body being discussed

          Doesn’t every girl want her father to believe that she is beautiful?

 

My father believes that he can make America great again

 

My father believes that I am an example of greatness

     And so is my husband

 

My father believes that I can motivate young women to be successful in business,

     as I have been

My father believes that my husband can motivate Jews and Palestinians to negotiate,

     to talk to each other as we talk to those we negotiate with

 

My father believes that we can bring peace

     that we can bring prosperity

     that we can bring safety

 

He believes that I am intelligent

     that I will help him lead

     that I am powerful

 

He believes that I married well

     He trusts my husband

     He wants my husband close to him

He wants me close to him

 

He wants me in D.C.

He wants me near the White House

 

I want

 

I want to live in a place where I can walk to see my father

     Where my children can go to school and learn about their religion

     Where I can pray

          With my husband, with my children, with my Temple community

 

I want to be satisfied and successful

     a force for change

     a role model to young women

 

I want my family to grow and prosper

I want my kids to be happy and safe

I want my kids to understand their spirituality

     Their religion

     My religion

     My husband’s religion

     Our chosen religion

 

I want my kids to understand why I sit apart during worship

     Why the women sit together, apart from the men

     Together in worship

     Respectful

     Sincere

     Praying

 

I pray

 

For my family

For my kids

For my husband

For my father

For my country

 

I sell clothing

I sell jewelry

I sell fashion

I do not sell my soul