it's been a while since i've posted; there are things i want to write about: some tv shows, and the aenead , in particular, but it's being a difficult time to think things through clearly. i've been going through a long medium-strength depression that creates in its kinder moments a numbing lethargy. at the same time, the stars must be up to something unpleasant, because in very different ways many of the people i care most for are also going through varieties of unhappiness. i keep remembering the words of a poem i wrote many many years ago, but one i've always cherished. so i've been searching for wherever i keep old, pre-computer poems, with no luck. still, i've got it pretty clear in my mind, though this may be more of a rewrite than i'd intended. but it may have meaning to some of you, so here it is.
``~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's a dull thing, courage.
Its myth shines, like bette
davis in the last scene of dark victory,
denying herself the comfort of her old dog's love
walking to death radiant as a sunlamp.
Its reality is different.
Courage whines and snivels, it huddles in dark corners, crying,
begging for help.
It takes whatever it can get.
Infrequently, it glows.
But its essence is the essence of the eagle's flight
and the worm's slow crawl. For us it is, simply,
the most efficient way
to move.
``~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's a dull thing, courage.
Its myth shines, like bette
davis in the last scene of dark victory,
denying herself the comfort of her old dog's love
walking to death radiant as a sunlamp.
Its reality is different.
Courage whines and snivels, it huddles in dark corners, crying,
begging for help.
It takes whatever it can get.
Infrequently, it glows.
But its essence is the essence of the eagle's flight
and the worm's slow crawl. For us it is, simply,
the most efficient way
to move.
1 comment:
WOW. Painful and lovely. And though I am not sure I even fully understand it, it is meaningful and touching. I think I get it, but alas, I am not completely certain. When I need courage, I go with that 12 step saying "fake it til you make it" and go forward into the fire like a fool who does not know what is coming. And even then it is terrifying. I think given the option I would never pass up the comfort of my sweet faithful old dog, and a good place to hide for awhile. I have more to say on this (my ideas on courage) but it is not my blog so I will stop. But I thank you Karen for your courage to feel what you do and continue forward...for your courage to write and share about painful things and a touching (and emotional) poem.
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