Transition (For A. I. Smalling On Her 18th Birthday).

While your mother slept I held you Thanking God for her, and for you And thanking God again and again For everything make joy from pain. ... My darling dearest daughter dream If you could walk my linger stream Awhile, and understand my ripple now An old man under thoughts' full bough. ... Seeds become flowers and flowers bring Fruits again after the fair of fiddled spring Dark clouds bring silver showers of rain And swallows drunk with joy weave insane Pictures on the eye. I watched you grow Out of the mud of my nurturing, and I glow In the shade with butterflies brimming me With a rainbow of memories, O little tree! You are transformed into a prayer today A beautiful thing, God's purpose on display And I love you more than you can tell The best pat of us must defy all our hell And cross that bridge on which you stand Right now, a young woman with some sand Still in the eyes of desire, but fruit laden And longing to know the mysteries of heaven. You are my chrysalis, and hope's budding wing I can no longer hold you, I let go for you to sing Because I cannot hold again this transition This marvelous change edging my premonition. You are the change that makes me beautiful The love that fruiting in me feels so wonderful And the butterflies and swallows here today Celebrate your transition and your birthday. ... So here under the bough of thoughts I bring My knees to prayer suckling the sweet spring Returning to the map that gave me direction Through the years, and nurtured my affection. ... O we tumbled words and passion making truth Bound by self the old man and the bright youth And swallows weave their patterns here still And I leave you joyously to God's sweet will