Kapiti Poet Gill Ward says instead of a poem for Jacinda she’s got another poem she wrote 20 years ago.

She says: “This poem is from my book. I thought it was rather sentimental, but wanted to put poems for my family and friends in there to acknowledge what they mean to me.

People bought it for their daughters writing ‘look on page 13.’ in the front.  One man with four daughters bought five copies, one for himself and one for each of his four daughters.

So here’s my poem…

Mother Song

(Written for my daughter over twenty years ago and it still holds true…)

daughter I love

you so much

my heart bursts

with it.

My breast swells

with pride.

How did you

become

this beautiful woman

all that I wanted

more than me

but here to replace

me

when I have gone

forward

leaving your beauty

your most perfect

kindness

your light grace?

You are simply

just as I

would have chosen

you

had I had a say

in it.

So the best wish I have for Jacinda and Clarke is that they feel as much love joy and pleasure from their daughter for as long as I have, from  both my children.