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