To a Daughter Leaving Home

"Fast Break" by Edward Hirsch (1986)

Written within a few years of “To a Daughter Leaving Home”, Edward Hirsch’s “Fast Break” addresses some of the same themes, including physical movement, memory, and loss. While Hirsch’s poem adopts a more formal structure, the poem also relies on diction, enjambment, and metaphor to create the sense of immediacy in a recollected narrative.

"Hurry" by Marie Howe (2008)

Marie Howe’s “Hurry” is another short narrative touching on the themes of time, memory, death, and the bond between mother and daughter. The speaker of this poem harks forward, rather than back, imagining the inevitable separation between parent and child. The poem also features close detail of daily life, finding emotional resonance in common images.

"The Fear of Oneself" by Sharon Olds (1980)

This poem’s speaker, also a mother reflecting on her parental role, serves as a counterpoint to the speaker in “To a Daughter Leaving Home” as she defines the limits of self-sacrifice. The poem’s informal language and casual narrative bear similarities to Pastan’s work, but the overall effect of the poem is more sinister.

"My Obituary" by Linda Pastan (2019)

In a more recent poem, Linda Pastan recounts being asked about her poem “To a Daughter Leaving Home”.