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Strength in Vulnerability

by John Herlihy

Our vulnerabilities as waystations along the way,

They speak to us of intimacies and have their say.

Nothing more personal than weakness laid bare,

Standing naked there before us, we simply stare.

To have fallen in love, but not loved in return,

All our hopes shattered and yet still we yearn.

Our minds are chaotic and we are prone to fail,

So many thoughts invade, our imaginations to assail.

Vulnerabilities as a dark abyss waiting to be filled,

Sensitive to frailties, the heart waiting to be stilled.

Weakness never forgives, forgiving is for the strong,

Frailties revealing, lending insights for which we long.

The weak soul can oftentimes feel oh so blessed,

Given the right to lay its head on another’s breast.

Compassion for another not of weakness a sign,

Mercy and tolerance of others as strength align.

The strength of a fragile egg lies in its inner core,

A butterfly strengthened by its beauty and more.

As dyed hair on an old man clearly seems as fake,

Also hiding weakness does not a strong man make.

Weakness not the feared soulmate of a shallow brain,

But a valued pivot our deeper strengths to attain.

We embrace our weakness for what it has to offer,

Rarefied insights as treasure locked within our coffer.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Friday 10 October 2025