( ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ O ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ )

Why step down
When you can step up?
Why carry pain
Until it tears our hearts -
When in resistance
The tree grows firm and tall,
And finds within each wound
The will to not to fall?

( ~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~ O ~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~ )

Tell me here, tell me now,
Who walks away from this innocent?
When all hands are stained somehow,
And cities rise where living forests went?

Tell me here, tell me now,
How to hold to what is honest -

When we cast to the ground
Those who only wished us best,
When the hand that learned to care
Becomes the blade within the chest,
When survival is the crown
And tenderness the test.

( ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~ O ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~ )

I know I'm not innocent,
I will not feign no doubt -
But still I found within the roots
A reason not to fall.
So if theres will to reach the stars,
Guide me to build the step.

Penned by my hand on the 25th of Miraman, in the year 1003 AF.