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| Picasso, The Youth Circle, 1961 |
Once upon a time I had no fear
Running was a galloping horse in wind
My mane of hair flowing behind me.
Now it takes courage to walk and climb stairs
Moving forward is a snail in a headwind
My head bent over so I can’t see.
I am old. My fear
is a soft wariness,
but for too many people, fear is hard,
walking takes courage, and risks death.
I ask, for me, what takes more courage:
joining street protests or staying indoors?
One endangers me, one leaves me all alone.
I stay home where teams write letters.
and I write poems. Both take courage
not to censure, but to trust the power of words.
To send them where they need to go
despite the streams of too many words—
blogged, streamed, performed, printed.
Courage comes from cor, or heart in Latin.
I take heart, then, that words of care will
march into the front lines from home.
I pray that words will remove
use of weapons, killing of children,
scarcity of food and water, and rape of earth.
I pray words help children run like the wind,
but in play, not in fear.
I pray that people may
walk freely and fearlessly over the earth.
For my prompt "Courage / Fearlessness" at What's Going On?
I love the way this poem begins with you as a child running in the wind and ends with other children doing so, free from fear. Wonderful! I so relate to walking like a snail in a headwind, head bent over. Me, too. May the courage in our poems fly out into the world and land where they are needed.
ReplyDeleteI love the freedom, strength and fearlessness expressed in both the images of the galloping horse and the wind. And I am also with all the prayerful words expressed here especially in the closing lines. I can relate to that snail too. A more cautious one. :)
ReplyDeleteOh that picture of children run like the wind is absolutely beautiful and yes believing in the power of the word is an act of courage, love it
ReplyDeleteI like very much the way your poem progresses, and I especially admire the personalness of your words, something that is often hard for me. I was just in a movie theater today, and when we left I had to really WATCH the stairs that led out, which (in earlier times) I would have bounded up. At a certain age, some of the 'simplest' things take courage.
ReplyDeleteI like this stanza:
"I ask, for me, what takes more courage:
joining street protests or staying indoors?
One endangers me, one leaves me all alone."
I need to find more street protests to join. To me, staying indoors seems to demand no courage. I feel sometimes like I am copping out by not participating more. They don't know I am with them in spirit..
Your ending is strong! I pray the same things.
I think thinking and reflecting on change - using the abilities we have to challenge adversity - is also important - Jae
ReplyDeleteoh yes it needs courage to put out those words of care that will go to the frontlines of redemption... wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWonderfully said, Susan. And yes, we all know the pen is mightier than the sword and ink flowing freely does a more thorough job than bombs exploding!
ReplyDeleteYour poem reminds me of pictures of Palestinian children running, laughing and playing amonst the ruins of their homes. Kids will be kids, everywhere they can.
ReplyDeleteOh Susan! I found your lines to be so moving as from a place of deep longing and caring, that dismisses fear for courage, hope, resolution. Thankful for your heart shining through your words.
ReplyDelete"Courage comes from cor, or heart in Latin.
ReplyDeleteI take heart, then, that words of care will
march into the front lines from home."
Beautifully said, Susan!