somewhere i have never travelled

somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond
by E. E. Cummings
somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond any experience,your eyes have their silence: in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me, or which i cannot touch because they are too near your slightest look easily will unclose me though i have closed myself as fingers, you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens (touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose or if your wish be to close me, i and my life will shut very beautifully ,suddenly, as when the heart of this flower imagines the snow carefully everywhere descending; nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals the power of your intense fragility:whose texture compels me with the color of its countries, rendering death and forever with each breathing (i do not know what it is about you that closes and opens;only something in me understands the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses) nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands

This has always been my favorite poem. (who wouldn't love phrases like "snow carefully everywhere descending"?? and e.e. cumming lovely disregard for punctuation!) I use to hope that it was written for me. I think this was because as a child my Mom always told me I had the Tiniest Hands. I thought that was an endearing feature to have.

But things have changed.

Now when I read this poem I don't see a Hansom Prince reading me Poetry outside my window.

I see a little girl.

I see somewhere I have never travelled... somewhere I couldn't have even imagined in my wildest dreams. A place where I never even existed 5 years ago.

Motherhood.

I see Her as a baby, beautiful beyond any description. Which I "cannot touch" because it is too near to my heart, too amazing to fully comprehend.

I never thought I could be opened and closed or that I would be at the Mercy of Spring and it's wishes. And here I am. Her happiness is everything. And I am enclosed in it.

I never understood the "Power of your intense fragility" until I held her crying from a broken heart or a bruised knee. Or really what it could mean to be "compelled by the color of (her) countries" Until I saw her in all of her WONDERFUL COLORS and EMOTIONS. ONLY the word "Countries" could describe all that she possesses.

I would "render death and forever" for each of her breaths!

And although she is only Four Years Old, I feel like I understand the "Voice of her Eyes."

What a Beautiful Blessing it is to hold in my own the Hands that are even Smaller Than the Rain's.

I know she will grow. I know she may change. But I know her Hands Will ALWAYS be Smaller than the Rain's to me.






I love you dearly, Miss Riley Kate. I never expected to find a Best Friend in my Daughter, especially at such a Young Age! I never expected to find so much in someone so little. You are so special to me. I love the smell of your hair when I Kiss you Goodnight. I love the feel of your breath when you whisper funny things in my ears. I love the sound of your laugh. And the Joy you find in making others laugh. The light in your voice and eyes. And the GLOW that surrounds you. Ever since you were a Baby, you stood out. I felt like it took hours longer to go shopping with you because strangers HAD to come and see your infectious smile! They loved you too. More than once I had people I had never met tell me how you made their day. You have a Special Gift. THANK YOU for being all mine. I love you.