At times I feel like a tree
seeded in a hard place
or grown in cement
struggling

I want to be like a tree
always looking upwards while
digging my heels into the earth

I want to grow towards the sun
feel the warmth on my face
the dirt between my toes

I want to grow around pain
because it is part of me
a beautiful burl

knowing that when all is stripped away
and the live edge is gone
all that is left is the wonderful, enduring beauty
like when I think of trees.