when i was small, you would
pull me up onto
your lap and
look me in the eyes. tucking my hair behind
my ear, you'd tell me
you loved me and to
be
strong

when i was a bit bigger, you'd spin me
around in the
air, laughing when
i laughed and smiling when i smiled...and as my
skirts twirled in a great
mass of blue you said to
be
happy

when i was eleven, you kissed me on the cheek
before you went
to work every morning
saying goodbye was hard. i watched you go, and as i
watched, you came
back inside and said to
be
proud

be
yourself

because i love you.