To Sierra, On Turning Eight
by Michael Romani

There with your sweet, twinkling eyes
Playing with thoughts in your dazzling mind
You always seem to find new surprise
While leaving no teddy bear behind
You, with your Shirley Temple grin
Curls and blushing dimples do not end
What a pleasure it is to come to celebrate
The special day that you turned eight

I sit and watch as you start to grow
Into this bigger girl that I now know
You and your sweet heartfelt laughter
Never afraid to push edges and going after
All the things that you're quite sure you love
Yet, filled with a sweet reverence for God above
All of this gives good cause to celebrate
Watching you glow as you become magical eight

I stand here smiling at your sweet, innocent confession
Spoken quietly, earnestly and in candid admission
That you do not feel very much any differently
And you look up at me somewhat hesitantly 
With icing smudges painted on like a smile on your pretty face
And ask, if it's true that life is a kind of testing race
I smile down answering and tell you not to hurry
To stop and smell the flowers, play and not to worry

When it comes down to compare
There no comparison between this pair
A pair of princesses, God gave me to love
My little bit of heaven below until above
Sweet child as you hug me close to you
There isn't much that a father would not do
To help you smile and to celebrate
This day of love and joy as you turn eight

(c) June 6, 2017  Michael Romani
All Rights Reserved