MY DAUGHTER THE WOMAN…

SHE GAINED A FRAME FROM NOWHERE
AS MAGICIANS OFTEN MAKE THINGS APPEAR FROM THIN AIR
WHILE PEOPLE LOOK ON IN AMAZEMENT. IT SEEMS
YESTERDAY I WAS SNIPPING HER UMBILICAL CORD,
WRAPPING HER IN THE RECEIVING BLANKET GIVEN TO ME BY THE NURSE,
SNUGGLE HER UP AND SHOWERING HER WITH LOVE,
EMBRACING HER TINY CHEEKS. I CAN’T FATHOM HER
NO LONGER MY LITTLE PRINCESS, AND I KNOW IT’S COMING,
MY FEAR OF OTHER MEN STEALING MY DAUGHTER’S
AFFECTION FROM ME. I DIDN’T IMAGINE
THIS DAY WHEN I FIRST TOOK HER IN MY ARMS, GAZING DOWN
AT PERFECTION ENTWINED WITH MINIATURE FEATURES
OF MINE, LIKE A CLONE PRESENTED BY SCIENTIFIC
STUDIES TO REPRESENT ME IN EVERY WAY.
NOW SHE LOOKS AT ME NO LONGER
WITH ADMIRATION THE WAY SHE USED
TO BUT WITH DESIRE FOR MONETARY GIFTS, THEN SMILES AND LET HERSELF
BE SPOILED BY HER DAD FOREVER.