searchingtoseeAbout a girl
this summer she skipped and swam
clutched piles of acorns in her hands
her chubby limbs grew long and lean
hair tousled in the warm breeze
hidden treasures in secret places
dreams of ponies and princesses in faraway places
she fell in and out of love and
studied the morphing cloud-shapes up above
friendships were made then quickly forgotten
I dried her weary tears of frustration
this summer she let go of my hand
just for a little while….
Later I brushed the tangles out of her long brown hair, pulled it back.
She winced.
Too tight! She cried.
I smoothed the creases out of blue checked dresses
(blinking back the tears).
As she tugged white cotton socks up
over bruised shins.
Fastened up shiny black shoes and
fumbled with unfamiliar buttons,
she looked on, concern in her wide hazel eyes.
Don’t worry mummy, I’ll always be your little girl, she said
(I let the tears come).
This summer was hers for the taking,
but she hung back.
She wasn’t quite ready
(I was secretly glad).
Her time will come
For my beautiful girl
© images and content Emily Hughes and searchingtosee, 2012
searchingtosee 
beautiful photos!
thanks Jennie and thanks for visiting 🙂
How incredibly tender and beautiful, Emily.
thank you Karen!
Beautiful! 🙂
thanks!
Oh, wow. Both photos and verse are just beautiful. It makes me wish I was little girl in Wisconsin again. 🙂
yeah me too! Being a child is the best I keep telling them that but they are both so desperate to grow up!
Oh Emily that is just so beautiful, tears in my eyes..hope the new term goes well for both of you x
thanks Cath, it’s going fine so far, but we’ve both been a bit wobbly. We’re missing our ‘mummy days’. Still, they’ve got to grow up, I guess, and she’s enjoying school.
You know, and show, what both beauty and joy are.
what a lovely thing to say – thank you whoever you are!
Awww – they do grow up far too fast! So beautiful.
yes I know! Still it’s a joy to watch… thanks for the comment!