My father was an Air Force man, my uncle in the Coast Guard, and my brother in the Navy. His son was in Afghanistan, and I hope that is the end of the men in my family going to war.
From the legion of sketches my uncle did, of battleships, shore birds and lighthouses, this one emerged from the pile--perfect as cover art for The Boatman's Daughter. I'm so pleased that I can again honor him in death with a sketch that perfectly suits the subject of this chapbook.
And the title...I toyed with several before lighting on this one--from a friend of my Navy brother--noted on a place card at my niece's wedding last year. It gave me a chuckle, and I jokingly said when I saw it, "Makes a good title!" Little did I know that in a few months, I'd be searching for one! I stuck it in my bag at the end of the evening, and it has sat on my desk ever since, winking at me at the height of the search. Voila! Book title--check!
And so, from the family affair that is the source of tremendous love and support, artwork and book titles, not to mention inspiration for so many poems, introducing...The Boatman's Daughter!
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