Thinking about strength
What will it take
To change out the crumpled suit
You’ve worn almost to death
Though not yet
It isn’t death you should fear
But not living
Being incapsulated
In redundant urge
Truth is waiting 
Like a small round shouldered girl
Watching herself reflect in cold river
If she jumps she may drown
But staying still is often worse
Easy to ignore when new to the dance
Easy to neglect when all is going well
We learn in adversity
We become more of our stalagmite
Or something transformed
It’s the decisions keeping us from knowledge
A rare moment, often painful, offers the shove
Over a cliff, out of comfort
On our knees begging for Mercy
But she is no God
We carve identity and battle from our own leather
Skinned of illusions
We stand dripping and terrified without defense
Only when it’s all stripped down, pared to the thinnest slice
Believing we cannot survive
That moment
We learn again
To truly fly


For Rick.