I'm Waiting for You
Once upon a time I told a friend that I was strong
I said I'm a tree that won't bend or break
My roots have taken hold and nothing can tear me out
My branches have taken shape
And I'll stand no matter wind or rain
So when you need me you'll know where to go
Where the bark is uncut and the soil is still good
But half way through the book, my friend had gone
With only two paragraphs to her name as a stark reminder
She didn't believe she was a main character
Just the background in a picture with the caption
No One There
I wondered why she didn't follow the path that led to me
Because I was built like a garden
With an open gate and path with sweet stones
I had a sweet smell that rose above the flowers
And called to all who stood and flew and buzzed
I was filled with fireflies when darkness fell to light the way
And sunlight to brighten day
And just the slightest drizzle to make the trees and flowers strong
Why couldn't she have settled beneath the moon and let me light her way?
But only after years of carving her name into my heart and every page of my book did I understand
I was one book in a library filled to the brim
With pages of beautiful metaphors that couldn't speak to the person within
My cover was dull and ripped and broken and sad
My summary pitiful of lies and self-doubt
That a girl couldn't look to to save herself from what's within
My pages were boring and cracked and tired
And anything decent seemed written on or a mistake
Truthfully, I was not the tree that stood strong or the garden that provided a safe night
I was a book that some girl thought was just right
She bundled me up and took me home
She erased the rude marks previous owners had placed in my margins
And taped me up nicely wherever I had been torn
She dusted off my cover and read me nightly
And smiled sweetly at my typos
And every night I waited for her to fix me up and make me feel she loved me
Every night I smiled when she caressed my pages
Every night I told her worn out stories when she couldn't sleep
And kept her in mind to give anything she needed
I stayed on her pillow and kept her mind filled
And touched her heart warm for every kind moment to a book no one wanted
And I waited for her each and every night
Then there was a night that I waited
Then there was a day that I waited
Then it was a week that I waited
Then a month that I waited
Then a year, but I waited
Please come home. I'm waiting for you.