To my daughter on her wedding day ....

There she sits before her mirror
Full of excitement, her face flushed
Today will be her day; she will never know
How much I hurt, how scared I am
Of the void she will leave behind

Will she forget me? I'll be replaced
By someone new, someone who makes her heart
Dance in her chest, a drumbeat
Will he, can he protect her as I've done?
I have no choice but to trust...

I see the with an almost-rage
An unfounded, illogical jealousy, an anger
For what he is taking from me
I am selfish. She is my joy, my life
I would die for her

Today I will. A thousand times.

Then she turns to look at me
In her beautiful face I see worry
For me? She sees the watery eyes
She knows. Of course, she knows
She comes to me

And with the smallest kiss, the subtle smile
All is well. She is still mine.
She will always be mine
In a different and wonderful way.
She is a part of me

She will move on, she will give others joy
And I am comforted knowing her goodness
Will be shared by everyone she touches
And I am fine, and proud, when I take her hand
To give her to her love, her new life

I swell with almost unbearable pride
To have created something so perfect!
She was never mine to keep, this supreme being
Imperfect to me. Shining, golden, priceless...
My sweetlove

And there he goes, that handsome, kind man
With his new bride, my daughter, my soul
Does he know what has been passed to him?
He could not know, not yet
But time will show him, he will realize

Someday, it will be his turn
He will have to pass her essence on
In his daughter, my granddaughter
Will he weep? With loss, with anger?

Will he sit alone in his daughter's room
Filled with love, and happiness...sadness?
No, content. A deep breath will help him stand
As I do now, and I walk with trembling lips
And chin held high. I leave this room.

I close the door.