BREATHE

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

-Becky Hemsley

I stumbled upon this poem and it resonated so. It reminded me of when I was a child and would spend a lot of time in the woods, among the trees. We had a very special tree on the hill that was huge and hollow. I could hide inside, and I did many times. Sitting. Listening. Many years later, I am clearing away the noise. And breathing.