Let me hold this flower in my hand
No words, no judgement, only let it be
Give it time to live, to grow, to bloom
To show its colors strong and true and free
Let me stay within this sunshine beam
And do not rush it as it lights the way
Until I do not fear the shadows cast
And see the dark of night turn into day
Let me hold this little child’s hand
While she learns how to walk out on her own
To guide, protect, to be there by her side
Until she knows she’ll never be alone
I hurt inside, I try to hide
The pain in here – I can’t get near
It seems to say, just go away
And do not let your guard down yet
I cannot tell quite how I fell
Into this hole, this frozen role
Or where it goes, or if one knows
If I can see how to get free
You say to me, you have the key
And I reply, but what if I
Can’t reach across the hurt and loss?
The gulf of pain leaps up again
Yet I step out through all the doubt
And there you stand to take my hand
And help me move to trust and love
A lifeline rope of hard-fought hope
I am reaching out to see
If you are reaching out to me
For though it’s hard, I really mean
To be safe and to be seen
I am peeling off the layers
Hardened by snubs and shame and glares
To let my eyes again have sight
Though squinting, turn away from light
The darkness beckons me, retreat
Back to the cell of safe defeat
But if I stand strong, I will see
The light and love to set me free
