On the quiet nights, if I lay perfectly still, I can hear my own blood flowing through my veins
Surging at irregular intervals, like an ocean finding its rhythm
And I think of how far this imperfect heart has brought me
And of the little girl it contains all the love in the world for
And how her rhythm will be flawless
The little girl that speaks to me on frequencies between life and sleep
The little girl that's waiting for me to find her the perfect mother
So she can come into this world with my eyes and her mother's hair
The perfect blend of two imperfect people
The little girl that I will teach to use both ends of the pencil
But to remember the shadows the eraser leaves behind
The little girl whose smile will make my day
Whose laughter will be the highlight of my week
And whose words will be the greatest part of my life
I think of the little girl who will enter this world by the hands of her father
And the first words ever whispered in her ear will be a prayer
Asking God to raise her with me, so that she can rise above me
This little girl will grow up amidst music and poetry, fingerpaints and clay
This little girl will breathe and her father's chest will be filled with pride
Because at that moment, I'll know that I've done at least one good thing to this world
And this little girl will always know that it's okay to have pudding for breakfast
As long as you're willing to share it
And this little girl will always know that her father will always love her nomatter what
And that this poem will always be there for her
And with it, my soul
To a daughter who is yet to come: I will never stop loving you, I will never let you fall, and I will always be there to push you higher on the swings.