One minute before midnight
there you were, in your daddy's arms
we both cried like babies
and everyone swore
on how perfect and beautiful you were
since then I haven't let you out of my sight
my sweet baby girl
you spend your days tight to my chest
or making faces in your daddy's lap
and I couldn't ask for a thing more.

I know you've only lived these past ten days
but you should know that this world,
it's brutal and imperfect
and sometimes these days
there's more pain in me than I can bear
I find myself so close to the edge
so much wanting to fall over it
and let this agony own me
he would have been such a good uncle to you.

But I know that I belong here
in the land of the living
and I know that whatever my faults
whatever my imperfections
and whatever ugliness I contain
it is only the best in me
that you've pieced together for yourself
and only the best in me
that I could ever bear to offer you.

My sweet, sweet baby girl
I hope that this life is kinder to you
I hope that I can be all that you need
if I had my way you would not spend one day
alone, afraid, hurt, and sad
not one day in the shoes I've walked
I hope that you always know I love you
and that no matter how much I hurt
the beauty in you is always so great
that I can never really bring myself to cry.