To Last Is First

There is a trial by fire for all that is proven
And you have found false all that you believe in
For you cannot have 'til you have given
You can't search without having not searched within

For every soft touch comes a harsh blow
There are no highs without the lows
You cannot forget until you know
You cannot burn until you've froze

You shall watch your loved ones suffer
And there's nothing you can do but to wait
For you cannot find courage 'til you've been a coward
You're not the catcher if you take the bait

As you rejoice for defeating an enemy
You find that now you must defeat a friend
And you try to take comfort in knowing
That for every beginning there must be an end

You cannot win until you've lost
You will not smile before you've cried
You cannot love until you've hated
You will not live before you've "died"

We all must crawl before we can walk
Integrity is the spawn of boldness and fear
We must learn to listen, then learn to talk;
There must be silence for one to hear

You can't appreciate the souls about you
Until you appreciate that of your own
And if you weep because these words ring true
Then you know you've truly grown