The first time I felt my daughter—
Pressing tiny knees against my finger
Through protective uterine walls,
I was filled with an ineffable prayer
Of fear, excitement and awe.

She is real… this tiny dream is growing…

An infant to bounce 4 hours before work…
A baby to chase around on bruised knees…
A child to entertain after coy
      pleadings of “one more story.”
A girl to sip invisible tea in tiny cups…
A student to help struggle over
      endless pages of algebra…
A teen to share Coltrane and Bach…
A young lady to accept compliments
      after her performance…
A woman to share in her adventure…
Of spinning on a giant blue ball
That hovers breathlessly in the air
Before crashing into glasses of lemonade
Placed next to the inflatable pool
Filled with tears of joy.