Courage Knows Not Retreat

Consciousness takes time,

She was lifted from darkness

Even as his senses were yet to awaken

Having discovered.

Her exposure was overwhelming

As center stage spotlights

Bore down with ruthless confinemen.

No longer could she be but a shadow

in the wings of impending entrances.

Time raced forward

ushering her presence into yet another scene,

another moment where truth had no escape,

where risk was a habit learned

and exiting in any direction was not an option,

for selfish men had made life for her

nothing but one audition after another.

It was when…

Demands of her role as woman transcended childhood belittling

when compliance to adulthood’s demands

did she turned her back on the audience

allowed her being to breath deeply

finding courage was willing to come out from the wings

that she turned back to face her judgement assemblage,

determined to jump into the deep waters and finally swim.

The curtain finally dropped and for the first time

She heard applause for her

For the girl who had finally conquered resistance to womanhood.

Finally…

She had the opportunity to really bow with gratefulness

Courage had not come easily,

But without it

She knew her self-defeat was not who she was.

She had finally leanred and accepted

Courage knows not retreat.