Letters

Peter Donovan was fully involved in his youngest daughter’s life up to the age of nearly twelve. The girl’s mother was his second wife, who had two children of her own when they married and joined households, by which time, his own four children had left home. The new household lived in harmony for a few years, until the marriage began to show signs of stress.

Donovan’s wife arranged a court order against him to have him removed from their house, based on her allegations of his abuse of her and his youngest daughter. The court finally concluded there was no evidence of abuse, but the damage was already done. His relationship with his youngest daughter ended and she became fully alienated from him.

Initially, Donovan posted letters to her, but as direct contact was removed, he began to upload letters to a web site he started. In Letters, he shares this collection. Each letter represents a snapshot of his thoughts and feelings for his daughter written in a sequence, at random times over a period of fourteen years. He includes sections of his journal from the initial date of separation until the end of court hearings and narrative to create context.