trees and forests and home

Human beings need a place to call home

a place where roots grow deeper than family tress 

and there are tiny handprints in the driveway.

they resemble the curve of your ring finger

and you remember the time your brothers tickled you so much you almost peed your pants but you started crying instead. 

it’s where your thoughts go when they have no other place to rest and your soul does too 

and you were taught to forgive without being apologized to

a place of refuge of relief or so it should be

but your too often reminded of words that cut into you, deep to the core, 

and they don’t make band-aids big enough for tree branches. 

Home

its over protective brothers and almost I love you’s 

suddenly your 17 and you swear you were just 15 

and you wonder how trees survive through all the different seasons, through sickness, and initials carved into their skin surrounded by hearts.

and you are reminded of a forest, of feeling so small surrounded by trees who have been around for hundreds of years. 

you're 17 and your almost 18 

so you keep reminding yourself boys in navy blue suits aren’t home. 

and to not be surprised if one day he puts up a for sale sign right across his heart

home hasn’t been home for quite some time now and you think your soul is starting to notice.

and you're afraid to tell them where you got your scars  

so you just tell them 

you should see my family tree 

there are x’s and o’s but not in the traditional way 

you ask yourself what keeps you grounded, rooted to this place 

to life

and you tell them you were built with a cage in your chest that protects who you are

and your surrounded by a forest 

and no matter how many scars your family tree has, you will always keep growing 

stretching up towards the sun and every spring you will turn over a new leaf and 

you will grow.