A Poem for A Daughter

I heard today that you scored
one hundred
on a poem you wrote on a blog
for school


I heard today that you wrote it
on childhood
not saying anything another word
so. cool.

For some strange reason I am not curious
I feel like
whatever you've written is good

I guess it doesn't matter
A father
eventually gets replaced

Then again
So does a mother

And the arguments you have with her
mark a time and place
where you're glad not to say

What you've written
or who you are

I heard today
you wanted to become a pediatrician
where before
you wanted to be a mathematician

You gave exact statistics
on how much they make

but when I asked you if you liked biology
you shook your head

I didn't ask
if you could ever visualize
Losing a patient so small

I heard today
you didn't want to go to church with us
but you did anyway

And we played trunk or treat
somehow it all worked out

We grabbed the feet
of a little week old child
and those toes

Made me breathe again
just the feel of her little feet

And her resting in her mothers hand
She was so small

And you saw her
and you and I both
were cute overload

But I know
you caught the essence
of it all
in a poem

That I wrote on a blog
never having read yours

I love you
You love me

Maybe the secret is to love the world
Maybe the secret is toes