My Tree | Teen Ink

My Tree

January 5, 2023
By LyReSa PLATINUM, Raleigh, North Carolina
LyReSa PLATINUM, Raleigh, North Carolina
34 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.” — Dr Martin Luther King Jr


Looking at the ground beneath my feet

What once showed chlorophyll green now gets lifted into black dust

Walking to my favorite tree, one I used to climb so easily

Now stands with a high-rise towards the sky


Trust

This was never my choice

I speak as though I know what that word means

Truth be told I have yet to live by choice


A strong blue, red and white rope

Hangs

Off one of the branches


The same branch that I climbed in youth seemed to grow stronger

As if to accommodate for my weight

No matter my age

It seems I was meant to Hang


Thousands of trees surround me

From a grand oak to small saplings that grew from a simple seed

I can’t seem to comprehend this capitulated nonsense

When we simply just asked for balance


Each  day I grow tired

Marching around my tree whilst a rope gets twisted around me

I weep

My body tangled in it’s twine pulling me closer to my branch

And yet I still can’t understand


Why my tree grows with me

But yet a rope is secured around my branch

Cutting off what little leaves it had, I personally

Don’t believe it was supposed to be around my branch


But yet; my trunk that holds it to the ground

My strength and my faith

Perhaps it was too wide for the rope

And instead of my tree it chose me


Others march around their tree

Some finally reaching the end unwillingly

Each day passes by and more trees fall

Reminding us that we are just mere mortals

My body has been covered in twine since birth

As if the doctors never cut the cord

We struggle

Being bound and waiting till we hear the heavenly chor-us


Yet we await for someone to arise

As if others have not tried we fight

You fight


As I untangle the rope and stick my head in and await for the wind

I fought


The author's comments:

Each day is a risk, whether it is due to my skin or the gender I was born with. 


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