Heart Speak

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

I was but a small thing,
In a frail bed I did rest;
But I worked so hard to live,
Snuggled in that tiny chest.

Though I worked all the time,
The demands on me were few;
I kept that small body going,
I knew just what to do.

The only time it taxed me,
That I beat for all to hear,
Was with your childish play,
Innocent excitement, foolish fear.

In that time we both took care,
To treat each other right;
And we grew strong together,
As you took your growing flight.

But long now have I struggled,
To keep you well and whole;
To work against the mark of time,
To cleanse the body and the soul.

What you do now hurts me so,
I must struggle all day long;
Will take more time than we have,
To fix all that if wrong.

You have to learn to accept
And let go of all the stress;
Lose the things that bring you pain,
For we are in such a mess.

Go back to a time when everything,
Was simple, pure and good;
We're in this life together,
Please treat me as you should.