Poem for the Daughter I Do Not Have

I miss you though we have never met.

I fold your name behind my tongue --

my grandmother's name,

inscribed on my sternum--

a tattoo of longing.

I tuck away lessons I wanted to teach:

how to sharpen your tongue,

how to develop your voice,

how to strengthen your spine.

I keep writing.

Perhaps a young girl is feeling lost.

Perhaps she finds my words.

Perhaps she looks to me for guidance

like a mother.

This piece speaks to the idea that connection, guidance, and love can exist even without physical presence. It’s about the legacy we carry and the voices we hope to pass on.