I thought you were a satellite,
Devoted tireless perfect light,
A steady hope in darkest night.
But you're a distant twinkling star,
A diamond impossibly high
To reassure against each why,
A wisdom confidently high.

I thought you were an ancient tree,
A joy to climb or simply see,
Steadfast, eternal guarantee.
But you're a beanstalk faraway,
Impossible to reach or scale,
Inevitably full of fail,
No chance of getting all the way.

I thought you were the Rio Grande,
A mighty force through kneeling land,
Pure power and beauty hand in hand.
But you're the ocean, quiet and deep,
Superior to lake and sea,
An unforgiving energy
Where sailors drown, survivors weep.

I thought you were the god of life.