Telling Things to My Daughters

You will, some day, no longer believe in fairies,
and this grieves me more than I could ever measure.
You will, some day, cross oceans,
learn words I don’t know
and cry over lies and love.

I have shown you singing rivers
seeing stones and the witch in the water.
We have whispered to tree sprites
and worried over night voices in the woods.

I love the myths of your lives
because I barely remember mine.
Someday, you will know the secret names
of all those fairies and no longer be amazed.
I want you to find music in your fingers
and legends in your dreams.
I want you to always know
what delights you.