“She sat at the back
and they said she was shy,
she led from the front
and they hated her pride.
They asked her advice
and then questioned
her guidance.
They branded her loud
then were shocked by her
silence.
When she shared no ambition
they said it was sad
so she told them her dreams
and they said she was mad.
They told her they'd listen
then covered their ears
and gave her a hug
whilst they laughed at her
fears.
And she listened to all of it
thinking she should
be the girl they told her to be
best as she could.
But one day she asked
what was best for herself
instead of trying to please
everyone else.
So she walked to the forest
and stood with the trees,
she heard the wind whisper
and dance with the leaves.
And she spoke to the willow,
the elm and the pine
and she told them what
she'd been told,
time after time.
She told them she never
felt nearly enough
she was either too little,
or far, far too much.
Too loud or too quiet,
too fierce or too weak,
too wise or too foolish,
too bold, or too meek.
Then she found a small clearing
surrounded by firs
and she stopped and she heard
what the trees said to her.
And she sat there for hours
not wanting to leave -
for the forest said nothing,
it just let her breathe."
