Beneath the Moonlight

I sit here, reading Maura's lines,
Words of young hearts caught in tangled vines.
A father's pride, a silent ache,
A world of change I cannot fake.

Fifteen, sixteen — hearts aflame,
They speak of love, they speak of shame.
But what do they know of love so deep?
Of nights a father lies awake, can't sleep.

She is my child — my heart, my song,
Raised by my hands, kept from the wrong.
Yet here I find her soul in flight,
Writing to strangers in the night.

Shanty, my star, my gentle dove,
Why seek so early another's love?
Did I not teach you the skies to read?
The worth of patience, the strength to heed?

I told you a story, not just of old,
But of a heart once young, once bold.
Tolot — a name from distant land,
Who learned that love is more than hand in hand.

It's courage to wait, to know your worth,
To find your wings before love’s birth.
And here you sit, my daughter, dear,
Eyes wide open, heart sincere.

No more secrets, I plead tonight,
Let truth be ours beneath moonlight.
For though the world may pull and spin,
My love will hold you safe within.

So when the world knocks on your door,
With hearts unsure, with dreams unsure —
Remember Tolot, remember me,
And let your soul grow wild and free.

To all teenage girls who feel overwhelmed by life, you are not alone! Feel free to talk. What you are going through is nothing new, although you may think you are alone. Enjoy your read....

Sr. Esther Koros OSF