(This is a slam poem I had to write for class so it has all my personal notes on how to recite it typed in so just feel free to ignore those lol)
Dear my one-day daughter,
You don’t know me yet (pause)
I may not know your face (pause) but I know that the glimmer in your eyes inspires me to push through the rough patches (soft)
I may not know the sound of your voice (pause) but I already know the impact your words will have on me…
I may not know you yet (soft) (pause)
But at the same time (brief pause), I have known you long before I ever knew myself…
My little girl
She - whose eyes were always on the stars, for she was never taught to look down on herself - except to look into (elongate) the mirror to admire the body that held her. You are my daughter...not yet but one (elongate) day
My one-day daughter… never forget your worth
Show the world your beautiful glow and allow your kindness to overflow into the hearts of others (gentle pause)
Brighten their days (kind & soft) … be their fire on the cold nights, hold their hands so they know they’re not alone, we are never alone (grow in intensity and speed then go quiet)
But most importantly don’t forget that your hand needs holding too, your heart needs protection too, your chilled bones need warmth too, You…
You (pause) with pure (elongate) joy because "sad" will not be (hold) in your vocabulary, (pause) but on the days (elongate) where the word "depression" fills your entire (elongate) dictionary (pause) I want you to know - that I (pause) still love (quiver) -you
Your fingers (elongate) are able to interlock with your own and sometimes (stress) that’s what you have to do so (quick) don’t forget to pay mind to your own blue fingertips (slow); it's ok to kiss your own cheek goodnight (soft)
It's ok to be in love (elongate) with yourself, so please…(soft)
I’m begging you (sense of urgency) (sigh)
Treat yourself kindly (add inflection almost like a question)
Treat my little girl kindly (more of a command and less of a request this time)
I have had the name Clementine picked out since I was about thirteen, so it started out as a poem dedicated to her and gradually became something deeper. It became a message to women who struggle to give themselves love. It's a message to my younger self who was so afraid of caring for herself that she only cared for others.
