Daughter Woman

If You Only Knew

If you only knew
How much I love you
And what you mean to me and my aching heart
Seems to overflow
With all that you mean to me now, in the past and future.

As you lie there my daughter
Somewhat battered and worn
Finding life's inroads upon your brow
Knowing at last you're growing up.

And at last I know you'll be alright
That you'll survive and learn
Becoming a woman and citizen
Of a world in need of people like you,
To go forth and heal a battered world.

I never thought I'd have a daughter
Someone like you I could love, worry and get frustrated with so much!
But here we are, holding hands, talking, loving
Doing what fathers and daughters do
And I love you
And now I know what that's all about - life that is.

I miss you Camille … more than you may suspect.
I don't need you're friendship although its welcomed
But I need you, you're occasional hello, banana split,
Coffee time, beer on a hot day …
Because life just speeds up every day and soon it will all pass by
And memories remain.

So if only you knew how much I love you,
You might run screaming from the room!
Some day, years from now and I'll be gone
You'll be an old woman and I hope
You will read these words
To remember this day and our lives we lived
And the love we shared.

My lovely daughter.

David

Written at University of California San Francisco Emergency Room
Room 23
July 1, 2013