Braids

Breathtaking! It brought tears to my eyes--which says to me, you have a beautiful piece here, even before you do all the fine tuning. 

One part that confused me though, and I had to re-read was:

"i comb your fine spun hair

            feel my mother brushing mine

partition into threes

recall her mother’s partitioning"

I hear "you" speaking, but then who is "her"-who is recalling her mother? Is it you? Recalling your own mother braiding your hair as you are braiding your daughters?  I agree that partition doesn't fit quite right there... and not so much twice in one stanza.  I will have to ponder that and see if I can think of another word that may work...

Beautiful, though! I love it and look forward to watching it develop!