a few days

ago she found them.

they’d been sitting

in plain view

since before her

mom died.

well, not exactly

in plain view…

they were covered by

a couple of books,

but i could see

them from where i 

sat every day,

working on our taj.

it helped

that i knew they

were there, 

otherwise i probably

would have looked 

past them as well.

but at two years

three months and

six days,

she found them.

i didn’t hesitate

when she said,

“oh! daddy!” in

that voice she

only uses when

she’s excited about something

(and she uses it a lot).

i lifted the books,

and pulled

out the box.

with a little help,

they were soon

liberated from the

plastic and held

tightly in her hands.

no longer did

they look like 

choking hazards.

now, 

they were gifts her

mom had intended

for her future daughter. 

the daughter she

dreamed of

is here, 

but she is not.