18/09/2023
She sat at the back and they said she was
shy
She led from the front and they hated her
pride
They asked her advice and then questioned her
guidance
They branded her loud then were shocked by her
silence
When she shared no ambition, they said it was
sad
So she told them her dreams and they said she was
mad
They told her they'd listen then covered their
ears
And gave her a hug whilst they laughed at her
fears
And she listened to all of it, thinking she
should
Be the girl they told her to be, best as she
could
But one day she asked what was best for
herself
Instead of trying to please everyone
else
So she walked to the forest and stood with the
trees
She heard the wind whisper and dance with the
leaves
And she spoke to the willow, the elm and the
pine
And she told them what she'd been told, time after
time
She told them she felt she was never enough
She was either too little or far, far too much
Too loud or too quiet, too fierce or too weak
Too wise or too foolish, too bold or too meek
Then she found a small clearing, surrounded by
firs
And she stopped and she heard what the trees said to
her
And she sat there for hours not wanting to
leave
For the forest said nothing, it just let her
breathe
******
Becky Hemsley 2021
It's 2 years since I first shared this as a spoken word reading on TikTok to my 37 followers at the time. What a two years it has been!
This poem is in the collection 'Talking to the Wild'
https://a.co/d/hILggul
Artwork by the amazing Siski Kalla from the children's book of this poem.
https://siskikallaillustration.com/
