Flower petals fall
A sweet reminder of death
Of how a flower–
Is slowly rotting away,
The second it grows petals

I watched a dance recital
It showed reality

There was a kid out of sink, doing everything wrong
There was a kid who had trouble balancing, struggling to stay sturdy
There was a kid who fell behind everyone else, going too slow
There was a kid who rushed ahead, their movements too fast

All these kids still tried, to stay determined
Though their eyes still hollowed, their faces ashamed

I wonder if they told themselves, “Next time I’ll do better”
I wonder if they asked themselves, “Why do I always mess up?”
I wonder if they wished someone was there to cheer them on
I wonder if they wished they could make that someone proud

This is reality
These are the things that will happen
These are the things you will say to yourself
These are the things you will hope to surpass

Though to hope is useless
This is everyone’s fate
If nothing went wrong in life
Then everything would just be the same

However if that's the case,
Then I guess life is just about pain

So really, let's be honest,
There is no escape.

In the forest there is a tree, thick branches and all
But it has no leaves, for it is afraid to grow

The weather around it is sunny and bright

But to the tree the weather is dark, cold, and full of fright

It lost its leaves in the fall and they never came back
It is too scared to sprout them again, fearing the cold

The tree does not wish to feel the winter
And worries of how to know for sure its gone

So instead the tree decides to be safe and stay dormant all summer-long


Lucky for this tree, on one fateful day,
A sweet old lady went apple picking away

She came to this forest, picking fruit after fruit
When she spotted the sad little tree, with no fruit, with no leaves

“My, my!” Cried the old woman, “What a dreadful tree! Never before have I seen one so sad!”
With boldness she approached, feeling the chill released from the trunk
Then she asked, “What are you doing? It's spring! Do you not see the way your neighbors flourish? Do you not feel the warmth of the wind?”

The tree sighed, shifting its dying branches before speaking, “I do not wish to flourish, I wish to feel at ease.”

“At ease? This is what you call it? Oh my dear this is not bliss, this is sentencing yourself to death! You must sprout and grow or behind you will be left!”

“Oh but I am scared” The tree mumbled softly, “perhaps death would be better than this, for I fear what happens if I enter the cold.”

“So you are afraid of sorrow? Of pain? Of hardship? And instead chose to die? Why now you are sentencing yourself to a fate worse than death! Look around, the winter has left. The only cold left is the cold in your head!” The old lady gently touched the tree’s trunk, then continued on,

“The winter will return— But you're wasting all your time dreading it. Enjoy this peace, before it comes to pass.”

The tree is silent, unsure what to do
But at last it speaks, accepting the truth,

“ you’re right, It’s true, It’s time to break through!”
And so with a sudden burst of strength,
The not-so-sad-little-tree grew thousands of leaves,
With the plumpest of fruits growing amongst its branches

This tree, in astonishment, admired the breeze,
The warmth of the land, and the beauty of the green

That tree could see everything,
And ever since then,

It felt it could finally breathe

And be free.

Teach me to trust
Show me you won’t hurt me—
Even if you must.

Tell me you’ll hear out my pleas
Tell me you won’t judge

Stop me from being a tree
Stop me from staying barren

Teach me to grow leaves
Remind me winter is gone

So that I can grow
And move on