To me it's a surprise
It's a surprise to me to find
That we
You
And I
Are so alike
I've known blights in my lifetime
I've known sickness
I've known the growth that comes from just a little bit of tenderness
of compassion
I've braved elements
And they've made me stronger
I've taken in those forces that howl and bray and beat against me
Internalized them
Made them useful
To the point in which I've wondered if it is why God put them there
I've withered
Shirked back in unrelenting heat
Selectively undergoing apoptosis
Watching
Gleefully
As pieces I no longer needed died back and fell away
Only to find
That I'd killed all the parts that gave me life
I've stood
Bare and naked to the world
With nothing left for anyone to use
Feeling a burden
An obstacle
And I've heard the mutterings of others
That we should just cut him down
He'll do us in if we don't
You and I
I'm actually a few years your senior
Though we both have this presence about us
That makes others remark on our
Ancient wisdom
Did that afflict you as it did me?
Did others count on you to remain
Stalwart
Upright
Well-ordered
While you desperately craved nothing more than a
helpful stake in the game?
A crutch?
A scaffold
A cross to die on if need be
I have not known all of your sorrows
For I have not seen my children die before me
But for what it is worth I've had my heart broken
Shattered into so many pieces
I died back
And for a moment
It looked as if I wouldn't return in the spring
I've learned that growth is painful
That it requires the relinquishing of so much
Yet it is necessary
Those that grow tall without established roots
Are doomed to fall
I see you
And the sense of intimate respect
Implores that maybe you see me too
And that we'll keep growing
You and I
And it's a surprise