GROWING PAINS

These are the growing pains. Baby born; body must change. These are the growing pains. Skin and bone learn to replicate is to divide, destroy themselves towards a whole and greater health. These are the growing pains. Love is born; life must change. These are the growing pains. Skin and bone yearn to congregate. They push and pull to meet and become one, forge a frontier and a language common. I've been heartbroken for a year and a day. My adultery put my child to bed in shame. She's not feeling well. She won't come out to play. All the other girls and boys, they know what's best: forgive the past and live for the present. These are the growing pains. Nation born; nature must change. These are the growing pains. We came by boats, in hopes, in chains, felled the forest for farm and firewood, and built a church on the hill to pray for the greater good. These are the growing pains. Country born; conscience must change. These are the growing pains. By gunpoint and penpoint, the west was claimed as one man's burden, another's manifest destiny, with peace and justice divided unequally. I've been heartbroken for a year and a day. My adultery put my child to bed in shame. She's not feeling well. She won't come out to play. All the other girls and boys, they know what's best: forgive the past and live in the present. These are the growing pains. Love is born; life must change. These are the growing pains, the breakdown of the barricades. There's fear and cowardice to be overcome by instinct, force and momentum.