Slipping Through My Fingers

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A picture is worth a thousand words they say.
But this one's worth a million.
Just yesterday was her first birthday.
My princess, my darling, my baby.
I still remember that day.
She was dressed in my favorite color.
She was dressed in Yellow.

Today she has grown up.
My princess, my darling, my baby.
Is no more a baby.
She is stubborn, headstrong and silly.
Just like me.
The tiny little tot that she once was.
She was so very mellow.

I loved her then.
I love her now.
I'll love her till the end.
I love her for her madness.
I'll love her till she forgets her sadness.
I'll love her till her heart fills with gladness.
I love her just the way she is.

She fills my life with laughter.
She drives me mad by her endless chatter.
She took me back to my youth.
When life wasn't lived by the book.
She taught me that it is okay to cry.
She takes me by my hand.
She makes me dance like I am in some band.

She reminds me of her.
The beautiful lady I wed.
They look so alike.
I am glad they both are mine.
She is nothing like her.
Yet, I love my little girl for being her.
She adds life to my years.

I remember plaiting her hair daily.
And packing her bags and walking her to school lazily.
Soon I'd walk her down the aisle too.
All that would remain are the memories.
My little girl and her lovely stories.
Each time I think I'm close to knowing.
She keeps on growing.

Do I know what she feels?
Does she breathe the same fears I breathe?
Do I know what's in her mind?
Does she know what's in mine?
Do I know if she's happy?
Does she know if I am?
Do we know anything at all?

Very soon my little princess will be gone.
To another lad with whom her heart belongs.
I hope he treats her like a queen.
And never makes her heart bleed.
I'll pretend to the world I'm fine.
When my girl slips out of my shrine.
She made my home so divine.

I'm afraid that day may come too soon.
And my little girl will be gone too soon.
I'll hide my fears and my tears.
'Coz I don't want to let her know.
Her happiest day may just be my saddest.
She won't be home fooling around anymore.
She'd be under someone else's roof, she with her madness.

I'll miss my little girl too much.
Slipping through my fingers all the time.
I gently sit down for a while.
I feel I'm gonna lose her forever.
I'm glad that I could share her laughter.
That funny little girl.
That silly little girl.

My Daughter, My Princess, My Girl.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative 
for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

This poem is also about what a father feels for his daughter who was once so little but now is all set to leave him for another home, another shoulder, another hand, another man. The emotions behind it. The pain behind it. Through the eyes of the father who secretly wishes that he could freeze the picture and save it from the funny tricks of time. 
I had tears while writing this poem, I wonder what my daddy will go through when he's walking me down the aisle.
And yes, my dad plaited my hair when I was in school.