The Preacher
I am a man of God
I am a turtle in my shell
I am a father
I am a broken hearted man
I have a congregation
I have a daughter
I have a cheerful mutt
I have a hole in my chest
I try to be detached
I try to raise her right
I try to be honest
I try to keep the truth from her
I never try to forget my grief
She needed more than a daughter
She needed more than a preacher
She needed more than me
She needed away from the congregation
She needed away from us
My daughter and her feelings were secret
She wouldn’t ask me the tough questions
The mutt helped her come out of her bubble
She asked me, I answered
We are closer, because of Winn-dixie
My daughter has made our town our home
She has helped people others avoid
She has helped me stay out of my shell
She knows sorrow, I know melancholy
She now needs me, not just Winn-dixie
Mary, your second stanza is particularly effective. The way you contrasted all the good things the preacher has (his congregation, his daughter, his cheerful mutt) with the always-present hole in his chest is very compelling. That last line just slaps the reader in the face with his harsh reality.
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