Dear James Garner

by Anne Bach

Dear James Garner,

I was in the Dade County Children's Home
when I used to watch you in Maverick

I secretly loved you —
You dashing, daring,
cleverer, funnier
taker of risks,
solver of problems,
rescuer of damsels in distress,
thwarter of best laid schemes
of schemiest villains

Dear James Garner
Your TV hour of bravery
belonged to me —
one thing I claimed
as my own

At night I talked
to you
and pretended
that you were
my father

Love,

Anne