Bridges

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Tampa Bay, Florida.

Your beginnings were simple, a frozen lake, low tides, or a fallen tree,

You span basins and valleys, connecting land, creatures, and humanity.

You are beautiful and majestic, create hope, cause fear, and inspire,

You are monuments to our ancestors, leaders, and many we admire,

You take years to build and must be continuously maintained,

Repaired from the damage of the winds, temperature, ice, snow, and rain,

You appear invincible, and mighty, though you are brittle, as human bone,

You are strengthened by the scars of new paint, steel, and stone.

You bring happiness and joy, bringing together those who care,

You hear the final words of some, that are depressed and in despair,

You bring shelter and protection, plants and sea life cling and flourish,

You enable the transport of products and the food that will nourish.

Some that traverse you will take you entirely for granted,

It will take courage, for others, to overcome fears, deeply planted,

The journey for most, safe, with beautiful views and fresh air,

Though there can be strong crosswinds, and storms that will scare.

We ascend to your peak, without much thought or care,

While not within sight, we assume the far side is there,

The structure below, we think solid and firm,

Of the cables and trusses, we have no concerns.

You are symbolic of the relationships that we form in our lives,

When valued and nurtured, beauty, love, and joy thrives,

There are times that require courage, and there are dangers, a few,

Never take them for granted, always show gratitude.

Like relationships, you can fail, or be destroyed by force,

If the foundation becomes damaged, or weakened by any source,

If the structure is destabilized by mistreatment or neglect,

If the maintenance is ignored, if the repairs, you forget.

And the strongest similarity, to accept, difficult:

Bridges are rarely, if ever, rebuilt.