An Ancient Creed
By John Herlihy

Cowardly men are forever dying,
They never succeed in fearless living.
They give the appearance of hot bluster,
But in their souls only fear can muster.
They do not know that they are a bluffer,
Fear of death makes them forever suffer.
Death curls as a rattlesnake under the rocks,
A deadly scorpion lies hidden in their socks.
Death stands in the shadows of every tree,
Watching like a hawk, but no one can see.
Death beats on them in the hail and rain,
Heaven’s thunder strikes with every pain.

Courageous men are forever living,
They never succumb to the fear of dying.
Every waking moment, they defy death,
They gain courage at each intake of breath.
The brave face gives no true venting to fear,
Every challenge an opportunity held dear.
He knows every river may lead to an ocean,
Every action he takes becomes a magic potion.
True to himself and the world, he can escape
The fearful deeds the cowardly always make.
The ground well-travelled within his soul,
Great deeds make his life’s puzzle whole.

Cowardly souls turn to water when they see death;
Courageous souls turn to light with their last breath.
With a shine so bright the cowardly could never know;
The cowardly return to the earth after what they sow.
Entire continents explored and swollen rivers forged,
Drunk from the water as the mountain spring surged.
The cowardly man lives in the world of the ordinary;
The brave man lives in a world of the extraordinary.
A burning flame comes alive within his eagle eye,
As he soars thru life under the protection of the sky.
A sacred code in this world will never break apart,
This is an ancient creed written into nature’s heart.