Unrequited Love for No One in Particular

Straight Through the Lake

I'm sorry I left a few years
I had to let you go
To deal with your own fears
To break, to heal to grow.
You've shed too many tears
For me not to love you so
Time strengthens after it wears
You've come so far, you know.

Your appearance is rather sinister
You're as rough as a battle-worn mace
You're burned and covered in blisters
I barely recognize your face
But like an old, wizened minister,
Your heart's finally in the right place
I think you'll be a top finisher
In the drawn-out human race.

I've been watching you from afar
I've been watching you choke up and fail
When the door was still slightly ajar
You tried to pull out the nail
I've watched you drive a car
And crash through and fly off the rail
But survive with another new scar
And start making another new trail

You've grown to be clever and good
To not be shallow and fake
To look at life as you should
To give everything a second take
You've become as different as you could
You didn't settle for what there was to take
Two paths diverged into a yellow wood
And you swam straight through the lake

These years have been hard for me too
I've been forced to look on from away
I've been running and following clues
Sleeping through every day
But I saw your name in the news
I knew I could come back today
I'm sorry but I'm proud of you
And that's all I have to say