18th Birthday poem, very rough draft
 

My youngest niece is 18 next week - we're having a little gtg this weekend. I'm working on a poem (have been working on it off and on for a while). This is what I have so far - very rough draft.




Eighteen years, a slip of time,
To make you what you are today
Ah time,
Plays tricks on the mind.

‘Cause I can also plainly see,
Standing there in front of me
A crayon-clutching child of three
And yet, at the same time,
Standing right behind
A young woman, willow lithe
with the whole world at her feet.

And I remember buying books
With fairies on the cover and
Pictures every second or third page
Ah, they were all the rage those days.

You’ve come a long way from Witchland,
That’s for sure,
And Sylvanian families,
living out lives on the living room floor

And when you step onto the stage,
To command an audience’s gaze
As you twist and swirl,
I recall the little girl
Dancing with big sister,
To Regina Spektre,
As we all clapped along

I hope you know how proud we all are,
At all you’ve done so far,
But the thing that makes us most proud, is
The woman you’ve become.

You’re the queen of the one liners,
And Champion argumenter,
The keeper of the family technology
You’re funny and quick-witted,
Clever and committed,
And best of all you’ve great taste in TV.
And here’s the thing that pleases me no end,
That as your aunt, I can also call you friend.

That is a very fine gift.

Vurry nize.

I've made some minor alterations. This is the finished poem.

For Sophie,
on the Occasion of her Eighteenth Birthday

Eighteen years, a slip of time
To make you what you are today
Ah time, plays tricks on the mind
‘Cause I can also plainly see
Standing there in front of me
A crayon-clutching child of three
And yet, at the same time,
Standing right behind,
A young woman, willow lithe
With the whole world at her feet.

And I remember buying books
With fairies on the cover, and
Pictures every second or third page
Ah, they were all the rage those days

You’ve come a long way from Witchland,
That’s for sure, and Hogwarts dreams,
Beanie Babies, height marks on
The kitchen door
And when you step onto the stage
To command an audience’s gaze
As you twist and swirl
I recall the little girl
Dancing with big sister, to Regina Spektre
As we all clapped along

I hope you know how proud we all are,
At all you’ve done so far
But the thing that makes us proudest is
The woman you’ve become

You’re the queen of the one liners
And champion debator
Keeper of the family technology
You’re funny and quick-witted,
Clever and committed, and
Best of all you’ve great taste in TV
And here’s the thing that
Pleases me no end
That as your aunt
I can also call you friend