The speaker wants to be strong, and the poem's first line says so plainly. The strength they picture is dramatic: a single pillar still standing above a landscape of ruins. It's a lonely, powerful image, someone who has outlasted everything around them and holds firm.
But the poem doesn't stay there. The third line shifts the focus from standing tall to what that strength is for: "Protect, not be protected." The speaker doesn't just want to survive; they want to be the one others can lean on. That suggests they may feel they've been on the receiving end of care, or feel helpless, and want that to change.
The last line, "I can help too," is quieter and more vulnerable. It sounds almost like someone trying to convince themselves, or asking to be taken seriously. The mood is wistful and a little tender, with longing underneath the grand imagery. The speaker's real wish seems less about being unbreakable and more about being useful and trusted.