When Katie was born and the cord was first cut
A new string took over as tether
It wrapped ’round my heart and was tied straight to hers
And it pulls when we’re not together

To start with, the string was as short as could be
And any distance would pull tightly
A loved one could take her, but even downstairs
Out of sight, I would feel it tug slightly

The first day away, no matter how safe
This invisible rope kept on tweaking
A distracting reminder that she was not there
When I couldn’t hear laughter or shrieking

As Katie has grown, so the rope has grown too
She goes further without my heart tightening
But it’s still just as strong as ever it was
And when it pulls, it can be frightening

There’s times I don’t spot the familiar twinging
Until she comes in through the door
A tension relaxes, my heart is released
And the rope lies unseen on the floor

It’s now coming up to her first day of school
And the rope is preparing to stretch
I can feel my chest squeeze in the preparation
To pull between “drop-off” and “fetch”

I know as time passes, the tugs will get less
And the rope will continue to grow
Although I can’t picture the pulls in the future
This rope will not sever, I know

She may never know the way that her heart
Is always attached straight to mine
But maybe, God willing, she’ll feel our hearts pull
If her daughter continues the line