Member Poem

Come close and simply listen,
For the story I'm about to tell
Is true. And it is mine. Exactly,
Everything I was forced to live through.
In some way, I hope talking about this event
May release that deep hurt I hold so near.
This is not an experience known by many,
So I beg you to listen intently
To what only a small few
Have dreadfully been forced to feel.

I recall the day, just as yesterday,
So detailed, vivid, and clear.
It was one of the greatest in life,
Well, that is,
For me and my dear wife.
We were filled with so many tears,
But not of sadness, all of happiness
And immense joy, as we brought into this world
Our precious baby girl.
Finally, the gift we sought for so many years.

Each and every day she grew even more,
Always with this adorable smile. Constantly
Discovering or showing us, something new.
In what seemed to be only a short while,
She began uttering little words to us.
“Mum, mum” and “da, da” she would cutely say
To grab our affection or just to get us to play.
Before long, those infant days were gone.
And, like with every child,
She picked up all things, the bad ones too.

Moving on
Through her education days.
These hurriedly changing years,
She matured, developed and became herself,
But they seemed to just slip right on by.
Always remaining to be our little princess,
Learning all that she possibly could,
Always trying her best in everything she did,
And when she would fail, as everyone does,
We made sure she knew that we understood.

In reaching her senior year,
I just can't explain exactly all I came to fear.
For in my thoughts, and even deeper inside,
I felt more than an end was near.
As she repeatedly explained to me
Her expectations, filled with such ambition,
To attend this well noted college
So very far away.
And not just far from her room down the hall,
But far away from me.

Before I even realized all that was happening,
It was graduation day.
I will forever cherish all of our moments,
But especially, the ones on that afternoon.
For those were a special time,
Only between this Father and his Daughter.
The words we exchanged
Sent such calm through me,
Giving some hope in how I was to accept
All that was on the way.

As she put on her cap and gown,
Showing me once more, that adorable smile,
She said, “Daddy,
You and Mom have made all of this possible,
Just for me. And one day,
I hope to make you both just as proud of me.
But right now, somehow,
I must get you to accept
How our lives are changing to be,
With this distance coming between you and me.”

A wet stream rolled down my disappointed cheek,
Realizing, my baby girl was a woman today.
Her fingers warmly wiped across my wet skin
As she went on to explain,
“Now when I must go, please always know,
I love you each and every day.
Just as I do right here, but gone
Will only mean from a little farther away.”
Her voice slightly choked as her hand dropped,
And she touched my heart.

“My little Princess,
If only you could see right into my core
You would know how deeply you have touched,
For I nearly burst with how proud of you, I am.
And no matter what you may ever do
Or even to how far away you may travel,
I will always and forever love you.
So, when you must leave me,
Carry along with you,
All my love.”

Cupping her hands within mine,
Our teardrops were held as she softly spoke,
“Daddy, look deep into this rose with me,
I want you to see exactly, all it means to me.
Its pale white signifies all the purity of heaven.
Its petals are your arms, Dad,
Holding our love so tight and close together.
Its water is our tears, we shed to grow.
That overwhelming, but delightful fragrance,
Is all me, anxiously waiting to be let go.”

She paused, delicately pulling the rose
Out from its thin clear wrapping.
Placing it into my wet, open hand,
She asked,
“Please pin this rosebud upon my gown,
So I may feel, now and forever,
I am traveling through my life
Always walking toward heaven,
Tightly held within the arms
Of all my Daddy's love.”

That evening, when her name was called,
She did walk preciously that way.
As she reached out to receive her honor,
I whispered to God, “I will let go today.”
My wife laid her head upon my shoulder,
And as we watched our little princess
Pass us by, I caught her adorable smile.
Watching her now from behind,
Moving farther and farther, I suddenly felt,
But only slightly, what was on the way.

When the commencement came to its close,
She walked into a gathering of friends.
With them she left to celebrate.
Always remaining to be our little princess,
Learning all that she possibly could,
Always trying her best in everything she did,
And when she would fail, as everyone does,
We made sure she knew that we understood.
But what really happened that evening,
I'm not so sure I really comprehend.

Late into the hours,
Through a pounding on our door,
My wife and I rushed to open,
Only to drop upon the floor.
Holding one another,
Feeling a piercing stab with each word.
Over and over and over, we heard:
It happened on her way home,
The same way she always traveled,
Just minutes of parting her last friend.

At that corner
Someone continued right on through,
Failing to ever observe,
Stop.
Why? Why? Why?
My mind repeatedly thought,
As so many visions flashed
In hopes of moving time back.
But instead, we held so tight,
And simply cried through the night.

Today, I stood wet by the falling rain,
Struggling to sing in remembrance of her name.
Fighting to realize, my baby, my little princess,
She is gone.
Thinking of our last talk, my tears only grew,
Sparkling as one bright ray shined down.
My seized eyes followed far into the sky,
Observing a most miraculous formation
Of one beautiful and fully bloomed,
White Rose.

While absorbing ever so intently,
My shivering wounded soul rapidly warmed
As if discovering a way to mend.
Where so compelled, I prayed aloud,
“I love you too, my Dawn.
And now I know you've safely reached
The greatest institution, where finally,
I can see opening my arms to let you go.
Always to remain, with that adorable smile,
Tightly held within your Daddy's heart.”

Each of you offering such a sympathetic ear,
Never can I fully express just how dear
These moments of sharing our Dawn
So intimately comfort two aching hearts,
Beating deeply sad, but extremely proud.
An amazing young woman in our eyes.
We hurt for the ones who have experienced
And fear for those who may.
No parent should face burying their child,
As devastatingly, we were forced to do today.