Daddy's Little Girl

By Natasha Gracious

She nestled in his arms a bird newborn,

Eyes of pearls and a Roman nose.

Asleep by his heart, her fingers curled his own,

Oblivious and away from the worldly woes.

He held her, frozen in moment and time,

Wishing all he could, she never grew big.

She was the full moon of a morning sky,

Or calm blue waters beneath the Hudson bridge.

He fed her, bathed her, swaddled her warm,

She was his sapling in a human form.

He sang her cradlesong night until dawn,

He'd be her port in every storm.

She crawled into one, then two and three,

He'd take her swimming to the neighbouring sea.

Questions arose over his callousness,

He'd say, I'm raising her to be fearless.

Days flew by, as did months and years,

Her allure was the captivating art of Tangier.

A brave, dainty diva, she sailed into her teens,

Confident and kind, she had her father's genes.

He still plaited her hair, he still sang her to sleep,

Her sobs and sighs still made him weak.

But pops, I've grown she'd say with a twirl,

Matters not, you'll always be daddy's little girl.”

By Natasha Gracious