O fledgling courage, where have you gone,
As evasive and timeless as the cold dawn?
My courage at times waylaid by my fear,
When fear needs courage that stands near.
Like a watchful eagle in a mountain aerie,
Made of the stuff of epic myth, legendary.
Courage has the lift of wind-driven wings,
Attuned to the melody that my heart sings.
Mark of a martyr asleep in a church crypt,
Ruby-red wine from a sacred chalice sipped.
I gaze back into the past and simply stare,
Amazed at the joys and sorrows I did bare.
A courage to suffer and a courage to love,
Courage drawn from within, then from above.
If prudence adorns my altar from all debacle,
Then my courage lies in wait in its tabernacle.
Our imagined self draws fear from the dark,
Our shadow self finds courage in the spark.
Surrender the fears to which we are prone,
To meet the person we have never known.
Oh, this one hit home, John!! I had to read it a few times as I could identify with the feeling. "Like a watchful eagle in a mountain aerie, ".........that's ME!! At times it is!! I enjoyed this a lot!
Though bearing any obvious similarities I see much of the same message in your poem that I wrote years ago, "War Within." At least to my mind. Your final verse was particularly poignant for me.
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Love ya!
Jane
Rebecca