Acceptance Poem by Suzanne Hayasaki

Accept that these lessons are necessary.
Accept that you're not meant to comprehend.
Come to terms with your impotence.
Accept the accompanying pain.

Wait.
Let thoughts drift.
Don't try to catch them.
Don't keep them at bay.

Yes, your moral core is your trunk.
Yes, your empathy forms your roots.
Yes, you stretch towards the light
Trying to absorb it
Trying to transform it
Into something chemical which can be stored.

But look at the everpresence of light.
See how it shines through the rain.
See how it reflects off the moon.
How much of that can you capture?

So stand tall as we crawl towards the solstice.
Dig deep as your leaves hit the ground.
Watch silently as the birds desert you.
Condense your sap and rest.

This winter is meant to be frigid.
This season is meant to bring gloom.
Time is meant to crawl into darkness.
Your soul is meant to go cold.

Accept this test.
Lose yourself
And hope to grow
In time
In wisdom
Through love.