It All Went Sour

I thought we had a good thing going
I tried my best, uncertain, naïve
I gave you what I thought you needed,
Unbleached, all-purpose care
I gave you love and fed you, even in the wee hours.
And still you felt enclosed, trapped,
Confined behind glass
I tried to stir things up,
Keep you warm,
Allow you to rise to your full potential.
Where was that bubbly personality I’d been promised?
I backed off so you could rest
I discarded anything that wasn’t needed
And again, gave you your space.
I was told you’d come around in a week, maybe two.
You hung on, turning inward,
Not allowing me to see your real growth
Until late one night,
As I slumbered upstairs,
You found your truth, your purpose, your ability to grow.
When I awoke the next morning
I found, after the wanting, the hoping, the nurturing,
You were simply too much.
So, I cut you back down to size and started over
Filled with the fear that I may have to discard you altogether.
Maybe this relationship just wasn’t meant to be.