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Description
beautiful blue-eyed girl
did you sense it somehow
through that uncanny precognition
and that gentle, aware demeanor
when i held you last
you clutched onto me a bit tighter
you held on a bit longer
and you told me you loved me
a bit more sincere than even
your typical, childlike
unquestioning manner
did you realize i would need
that lasting impression
as i had to let you go

such unconditional love
nobody knows it better than
a father with his daughter
a gaze which daily seeks
to be the brightest jewel
to the first man she ever loves
the first one to stand beside her
pledging to protect her with his life
i tried my best, sweetheart
to keep you safe from harm
even if i was a fallen man
in such an inadequate position
stumbling in the effort
yet still earning your embraces
just the same

so much like your mother
your smile exactly the same
the same playful warmth endemic
in the way your mouth
curled upward with a grin
you tried so hard to steal my heart
while unaware you had it
the moment i first held
your tiny form within my hands
and first heard you cry
the first time i ever
beheld you and knew
that you belonged to me
i was yours from that day forth
wrapped happily around
your precious little finger

i should have never been gifted
such a miracle as your hugs
your butterfly kisses
those moments when you tried
to fill in for your mother
assuring daddy all was well.
sitting upon his shoulders
taller than the world around you
you seemed a bit prouder
your laugh a bit more melodious
and perhaps a bit more ticklish
with your legs hanging down
from the perch you sat upon
i wore your tiny frame like a prize
proud to show you the world
from my point of view.

watching you sleep
standing beside your mother
as we both cherished
you and your little brother
our most prized possessions
your laughter stilled
your breaths slowed in calm repose
i loved to kiss your cheek
and brush back your wispy hair
thanking the fates in that moment
that i'd been afforded the experience
of holding you in my arms
hearing your voice
watching you grow
being the father
of such a gentle soul.

i wished i would have seen
you grow into a young woman
the small angel i once knew
standing tall herself
becoming strong and confident
just like her mother
while remaining just as patient
and affectionate as she had been
when i held her in my arms.
marking birthdays upon the calendar
years spent imagining you
on your first date
with suitors under my scrutiny
and you pausing to assure me
with your honest embrace
that you would always be
in some manner
in some way
my little girl.

you still are, precious
and such is how you shall remain
even when i behold the young woman
and tell her that i'm sorry
for all the wasted years
i'll still see those
ponytails bouncing with your steps
the smile missing
a tooth or two inside
and the little voice that says
i love you, daddy.
i love you, too, sweetheart
but then again, in that
gentle, aware demeanor,
i'm sure you always knew.

Description
beautiful blue-eyed girl
did you sense it somehow
through that uncanny precognition
and that gentle, aware demeanor
when i held you last
you clutched onto me a bit tighter
you held on a bit longer
and you told me you loved me
a bit more sincere than even
your typical, childlike
unquestioning manner
did you realize i would need
that lasting impression
as i had to let you go

such unconditional love
nobody knows it better than
a father with his daughter
a gaze which daily seeks
to be the brightest jewel
to the first man she ever loves
the first one to stand beside her
pledging to protect her with his life
i tried my best, sweetheart
to keep you safe from harm
even if i was a fallen man
in such an inadequate position
stumbling in the effort
yet still earning your embraces
just the same

so much like your mother
your smile exactly the same
the same playful warmth endemic
in the way your mouth
curled upward with a grin
you tried so hard to steal my heart
while unaware you had it
the moment i first held
your tiny form within my hands
and first heard you cry
the first time i ever
beheld you and knew
that you belonged to me
i was yours from that day forth
wrapped happily around
your precious little finger

i should have never been gifted
such a miracle as your hugs
your butterfly kisses
those moments when you tried
to fill in for your mother
assuring daddy all was well.
sitting upon his shoulders
taller than the world around you
you seemed a bit prouder
your laugh a bit more melodious
and perhaps a bit more ticklish
with your legs hanging down
from the perch you sat upon
i wore your tiny frame like a prize
proud to show you the world
from my point of view.

watching you sleep
standing beside your mother
as we both cherished
you and your little brother
our most prized possessions
your laughter stilled
your breaths slowed in calm repose
i loved to kiss your cheek
and brush back your wispy hair
thanking the fates in that moment
that i'd been afforded the experience
of holding you in my arms
hearing your voice
watching you grow
being the father
of such a gentle soul.

i wished i would have seen
you grow into a young woman
the small angel i once knew
standing tall herself
becoming strong and confident
just like her mother
while remaining just as patient
and affectionate as she had been
when i held her in my arms.
marking birthdays upon the calendar
years spent imagining you
on your first date
with suitors under my scrutiny
and you pausing to assure me
with your honest embrace
that you would always be
in some manner
in some way
my little girl.

you still are, precious
and such is how you shall remain
even when i behold the young woman
and tell her that i'm sorry
for all the wasted years
i'll still see those
ponytails bouncing with your steps
the smile missing
a tooth or two inside
and the little voice that says
i love you, daddy.
i love you, too, sweetheart
but then again, in that
gentle, aware demeanor,
i'm sure you always knew.