Tree branches can only reach higher
if there are roots
that have dug themselves into the ground
love cannot be gained through force
but only through giving
of yourself
a flower can only burst into the sun
after a seed dies
in the belly of the earth
truth suffocates in the arms of over protection
but blossoms
in the untamed winds of freedom
fields of wheat can only turn golden
if they have been watered by the storms
of the summer
a child can only gain strength
by lifting the weight
of the world where they are born
birds can only experience the joy of migration
if they are willing to leave where they’ve always been
and paddle a sky of paths they have yet to learn
Kelvin Bueckert 