You are my daughter.

You are my daughter.

You whispered to me in my dreams

and said “Mama, I will know you. I will show you how big your heart can grow.”

long before we ever met.

You grew inside of me,

deep within my center

and in my heart

and I felt you dancing

and knew you, even then.

And then, I held you,

my baby bird,

and when you looked at me with those almond shaped eyes,

and opened your tiny, bow mouth,

we became tied.

We became a love story.

And you’ve grown.

Oh, how you’ve grown so beautiful.

Small, graceful hands,

made perfect for making nice.

Skin I want to live in.

And I stare at that face.

That face. That face. That face.

Your face.

That face of yours

that brings me to my knees.

When I look down at your sleeping face,

that leathery whip of black lashes,

the sharp chin carved from marble,

the colored cheeks and nose like a tiny clover

you are so breathtaking, my dear.

But, the beauty of your face is only second to that of your heart.

Your heart gives off light.

Sweet girl, you glow.

You share the sweetest of kisses.

You look me right in the eyes,

little bird.

You echo my own voice when I tell you how I love you.

You are my daughter,

my love,

and yes,

you’ve shown me how big my heart can grow.