Lifetime Poem by Miranda Oney

Darkness, quiet, all around.
Nothing here, up or down.
Slowly, genlty, push on through.
Drink up to the health of you.
Push on up towards the top,
never give up, never stop.
Burst through, climb on, brilliance blinding.
Keep on growing, never minding.
Small, meek, not yet tough,
but keep on pushing, up, up, up.
Twisting, stretching, broken skin.
Feel the warmth that you're in.
Up now, up now, reach the sun.
Arms up, stretching, you're just one.
Years pass, moons come and go.
Warm, cold, rain, cloud, snow.
Growing, growing, onward still.
See now over yonder ville.
What's this? Who comes up now?
Young men, old men, sweat on their brow.
Up they come with saws and blades.
Hurt now, pain now, then everything fades.