My Daughter

She is my daughter ...
A young woman of iron and silk and unforgiving praise.
She is the measure of all I will never be,
She sees me and looks right through me..
She loves me with a barbed wire heart
Chaining me to relentless
Yearning of approval.
I would beat my head endlessly against a brick wall
To simply hear her say
" I love you "  
" I'm proud of you "  
Or that I'm good enough.
All measures of self-worth,  
Are wrapped into my daughter.
The one who loves me enough ...
To tear me apart.