She had the moon in her eyes
The ocean swaying to her will
A tidal wave of a presence in the room

My mother carried me in her arms
When I was just shy of being three
In the palm of her hands, I saw dainty charms
She said it was a gift to the big, blue sea

With me on her hips, she tip-toed out the door
In the early morning hours to be discreet
When we arrived, she quickly walked to the shore
So the crashing waves could tickle her feet

She carefully placed me down on the sand
As she walked deeper into the water
She opened up the palms of her hand
And couldn’t help but think of her precious daughter
  
She took a deep breath and inhaled the fresh air
Like she had forgotten what it was like to breathe  
The cheeky wind tousled with her midnight hair
Smiling wide-eyed, bearing all her teeth

She dropped the trinkets in the ocean
And watched them fall like leaves
I saw her overcome with such emotion
This was the face of sweet relief

Her eyes glowed brighter than before
But there was still a hint of her meekness  
She was unafraid of her new freedom to soar
For the ocean promised to guard her secrets

Here in her lonely
At a quarter past three
When the sun still sleeps,
Sadness reigns her in
Enveloping this child
Devoid of self-worth  
She’s oddly comforted
In Sadness’s presence,
Safe in arms that she was
Unaware could hold her
At this dark, ungodly hour,
Sadness became her mother,
Rubbing love into her back  
While tucking a strand
Of her hair behind her ear
As it whispered sweet dreams
Sadness wraps around her back,
Pushing for a confession
That she was too afraid to give
So here in her lonely
At a quarter past three
When the sun still sleeps
She releases those stifled tears
That became oceans over time
Drowning in her insecurities
Sadness was her only lifeline