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Courage
It is in the small things we
see it.
The child's first step,
as awesome as an earthquake.
The first
time you rode a bike,
wallowing up the sidewalk.
The first spanking when
your heart
went on a journey all alone.
When they called you crybaby
or
poor or fatty or crazy
and made you into an alien,
you drank their
acid
and concealed it.
see it.
The child's first step,
as awesome as an earthquake.
The first
time you rode a bike,
wallowing up the sidewalk.
The first spanking when
your heart
went on a journey all alone.
When they called you crybaby
or
poor or fatty or crazy
and made you into an alien,
you drank their
acid
and concealed it.
Later,
if you faced the
death of bombs and bullets
you did not do it with a banner,
you did it
with only a hat to
cover your heart.
You did not fondle the weakness
inside you
though it was there.
Your courage was a small coal
that you
kept swallowing.
If your buddy saved you
and died himself in so
doing,
then his courage was not courage,
it was love; love as simple as
shaving soap.
if you faced the
death of bombs and bullets
you did not do it with a banner,
you did it
with only a hat to
cover your heart.
You did not fondle the weakness
inside you
though it was there.
Your courage was a small coal
that you
kept swallowing.
If your buddy saved you
and died himself in so
doing,
then his courage was not courage,
it was love; love as simple as
shaving soap.
Later,
if you have
endured a great despair,
then you did it alone,
getting a transfusion from
the fire,
picking the scabs off your heart,
then wringing it out like a
sock.
Next, my kinsman, you powdered your sorrow,
you gave it a back
rub
and then you covered it with a blanket
and after it had slept a
while
it woke to the wings of the roses
and was transformed.
if you have
endured a great despair,
then you did it alone,
getting a transfusion from
the fire,
picking the scabs off your heart,
then wringing it out like a
sock.
Next, my kinsman, you powdered your sorrow,
you gave it a back
rub
and then you covered it with a blanket
and after it had slept a
while
it woke to the wings of the roses
and was transformed.
Later,
when you face old
age and its natural conclusion
your courage will still be shown in the little
ways,
each spring will be a sword you'll sharpen,
those you love will live
in a fever of love,
and you'll bargain with the calendar
and at the last
moment
when death opens the back door
you'll put on your carpet
slippers
and stride out.
when you face old
age and its natural conclusion
your courage will still be shown in the little
ways,
each spring will be a sword you'll sharpen,
those you love will live
in a fever of love,
and you'll bargain with the calendar
and at the last
moment
when death opens the back door
you'll put on your carpet
slippers
and stride out.
~ Anne Sexton
~
(The Awful Rowing Toward
God)
God)
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