I started the Dear Daughters series like I start all series— not as a series at all but as a string of words that repeated in my head like a song loop.
After I wrote the first poem I kept hearing dear daughters, dear daughters, dear daughters. I knew that there was more I wanted to say.
Are the daughters us? Young girls? Us as young girls? Your daughters? Mine?
Yes, to all of it. Sharing below three from the series including one that I shared for the first time today.
Dear daughters, if you’re waiting for love,
just know that
my friends have sent me flowers, mailed me a gift
just because. They’ve called to check in, stayed awake
until I tell them I’m home. Ordered my favorite
takeout dish and had it delivered right to my door.
They’ve jumped on a flight to surprise me,
planned nights out filled with everything I love,
made me feel like small wins in my life were big.
My friends have given me handmade scrapbooks,
handwritten poems, cards with notes that made me cry.
Friends have done this all for me, and so if you are
waiting for love, dear daughters, just know that
I have found it here.
Dear daughters, if you’re looking for joy
just know that I have found it, sometimes, in the big
moments, but mostly I have found it in the small.
In meals with people I love, in dining rooms, around
kitchen islands, at restaurant tables and diner booths.
While walking and talking or jumping into cold water
on hot days, on phone calls, on road trips, in books.
I’ve found it in unexpected places, like time alone or in
the midst of obligation. In coffee breaks on ordinary days.
I have found it, often, intertwined with things like grief
and anger and fear. I have found it easier to spot after I
stopped wondering why my joy wasn’t always where others
found theirs. If you’re looking for it, dear daughters,
just know that I have found joy in a million ways.
And just know that when I have not been able to find it,
I have made it, all on my own.
Dear daughters, here’s the plan.
Their biggest trick was to make us think
we were all in competition. That things
like beauty, smarts and wit were scarce.
That we must not give compliments often
in case there were none left for us, a pool
of good things that we all had to fight for.
Their biggest trick was to make us believe
we were against each other. Our comeback
plan is to raise girls who know they are not.
Who never hesitate to tell each other you are
amazing. Who never hesitate before they think
and so am I, too.
Same is broken up into different sections by relationship. The first section is poems for our younger selves. The Dear Daughters poems are not in the book, but if you like them, then this part of the book is for you.
Same comes out in October 2025 which feels far away, but the very best way to support a new author is to pre-order the book. Pre-orders let a publisher know that readers are interested and it helps to determine if and where an author is able to show up for in-person events.