If I have a daughter

I won't teach her to be strong

If I have a daughter

I won't teach her to be strong

the strong are lonely

I won't tell her to be brave

or to have faith in a god

If I have a daughter

I will tell her

She can walk through fire

and be afraid while doing it

If I have a daughter

I will teach her about the love she carries

the love she is

I will teach her that she doesn’t lack

Her love will always be there

Nobody has to grant it to her

If I have a daughter

I will teach her trust in herself

so that she can trust her actions

and make her way

without second guessing every step

without asking a god for permission

Action will grow her courage

Trust in herself will grow her courage

and her courage will make her strong in return

If I have a daughter

I cannot teach her to be strong

because strong roots

are a byproduct of soil, water and sun.

If I have a daughter I'm going to teach her about her soil, her love, her trust.

So that one day

She will find her roots have grown strong all on their own

while she took the steps that made her grow.