Praying

In primary school they made us all line up
And measure our heights on a chart on a wall
The shortest boy in the class started crying
And asking why god had made him so small

I wasn't the tallest but I was quite close
And my teacher just smiled, let me go with a nod
So I want to know when did I start to shrink
Cause now I'm the one crying and praying to god

So am I so small because that's how it goes
That's the DNA stored from my head to my toes
You just take what the hell you can get, I suppose

Or am I so small because I didn't eat
And I lied and I worked out how best I could cheat
And my bones never realised that they could grow meat
I'm still squirrelling nutrients; how bittersweet

In primary school they made us all gather
And pick out a partner to sit with on the bus
I think in that moment I'd rather have died
Or at least have the astroturf swallow me up

The answer won't come and I don't know what's worse:
Knowing I just fulfil some hereditary curse
Some old poem that's scribbled in tired blank verse

Or knowing that I did this all to myself
That I squandered the brilliant hand I was dealt
All that wasted potential makes me want to melt

So am I this scared cause that's what I was taught
Or was it just in me; I'm one of those sorts
I don't know if I'd rather it was my fault or not