one

One can spend hours
At the tasks they feel are the most important
One can manifest dreams
To make reality seem a little more tolerable

One can erase the past
To make the future seem livable
One can dissolve into the sunset
To make tomorrow disappear

But one can’t take away the pain
One leaves behind after one’s departure
But one can’t remove the fear
One instills on the landing on the petal
One only removes the nurture and nutrition
That enriches the lives of one’s closest people

One can believe
That one’s efforts actually account for something
One can pretend to see
The effects of one’s work and labour

One can create
A barrier to block out the ultra-violent rays of criticism
But one can’t break down
The solidarity a group struggles to build.