Daddy once told me
that weeping willows caused pain
and sadness
and everything bad.
That they were why people cried
and why people hated
and why hearts were broken.
Today I want to destroy the willows.
I will burn and cut and kill them all.
Just to stop the tears in my eyes
and the words of hatred in my ears
and the pain of my aching heart.
I want to destroy them all for making me hurt for no reason at all.
But Daddy never knew the most important part of all.
The willows share our pain.
They share our broken hearts
and the words of hatred in our ears
and the tears running down our faces.
They take the pain and the hurt
and turn it into something bearable.
That’s why they weep, Daddy.
So instead I will sit beneath the willows
and take back some of the pain that they stole.
Daddy, the willows and I will weep together.