Growing Pains - Mia Doi Todd

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 he 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 main’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 he other girls and boys, they know what’s best:

Forgive the past and live for 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