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 To A Daughter Leaving Home by Linda Pastan 
						When I taught youat eight to ride
 a bicycle, loping along
 beside you
 as you wobbled away
 on two round wheels,
 my own mouth rounding
 in surprise when you pulled
 ahead down the curved
 path of the park,
 I kept waiting
 for the thud
 of your crash as I
 sprinted to catch up,
 while you grew
 smaller, more breakable
 with distance,
 pumping, pumping
 for your life, screaming
 with laughter,
 the hair flapping
 behind you like a
 handkerchief waving
 goodbye.
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