Mia Doi Todd Growing Pains
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
