Ours Alone

Shining for a moment, until 

our fear of being laughed at 

tugs at our necks like a chain. 

To own our being after our 

life travels can be difficult. 

To be brave and claim the right to shine is ours alone.

“[N]obody likes having salt rubbed into 

their wounds, even it it is the salt of the earth.”

~ Rebecca West,  The Harsh Voice

Comes a Time

There comes a time 

when bravery and courage 

are the supports for that 

magical spark of self advocacy. 

     And then we ask: 

Can I be brave enough?, 

Can I ask the right questions? 

without knees softening to jelly, 

without hearts beating in triple time.  

Maybe ~ there will be a time

when we know that our hearts 

are strong enough for all 

the questions and answers.

“When you give doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.
~ Honoré de Balzac, French novelist and playwright

((May 1799 ~ August 1850)

How Do We All Survive?

“Be courageous” they said 

but didn’t speak the meaning

“Be brave” and still 

no meaning came with it.

So I kept these words inside 

my heart to use another day 

until I could find the meaning 

that was true for me to live. 

Challenges in life were met as 

ordinary and spoke to meet

a moment's demand. Past unsettled 

times reviewed, revealed a big surprise.

Fast or slow, life rolled on each day. 

When years had passed, life settled 

in peace and quiet, despite 

detours, road blocks or open skies.

“Be courageous” they said 

and the meaning came clear

“Be brave” and now the 

meaning was revealed.

“There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.”

~ Jane Austen,  Pride and Prejudice

Hanging On

Nerves of steel shining and rigid are only 

waiting to snap. I suppose it’s just a 

metaphor and I’m being too picky. 

Too literal. A description of bravery in the 

face of a challenge or danger when in 

fact a person’s insides feel frozen stiff 

or have turned to jelly. When the challenge 

has passed, or the danger has been neutralized, 

those nerves of steel disappear behind a closed 

door where no one can see the puddle of jelly 

on the floor or the tears thawing all over a pillow. Perhaps those nerves could be 

succumbing to the back and forth of a rocking chair 

until sleep softens the nerves of steel

until they are needed again.

“When you’re scared, when you’re hanging on, when life is 

hurting you, then you’re going to see what you’re really made of.”

~ Sylvestor Stallone

The Importance of Daring

Tucked beneath an old tree, protected by a fence, beautiful green caught my eye - the blessing of the rains. The old tree's leafy top was waving frantically like the old Whomping Willow of Harry Potter fame. Its compatriots lining the streets were as frantic. Timing my short walk home between potential buckets of ice water dumped on the city, I was lucky. Only a fine mist flung from dripping leaves made me pull my hood up; the chill wind forced me to zip my jacket to my chin. I had not been so silly as to bring an umbrella that would have been a mere a toy for the wind. But I was willing to brave the weather for a pedicure, a cup of coffee, and a read of my next book ~ outings not to be blown away or dampened by such ill- mannered weather.

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life - 

to be happy - it’s all that matters.”

~ Audrey Hepburn

Circling Blossoms

Stepping into circles 

where there are no corners 

it’s easy to be brave 

when around the circle 

smiles of welcome blossom,

and hands reach out to help

Stepping into circles 

where there are no corners 

it’s easy to belong.

“There are patterns which emerge in one’s life, 

circling and returning anew, 

an endless variation of a theme.”

~ Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel’s Chosen

On a Walk Home ~ Into the Candy Store

Usually when I leave my writing group, I head straight home. Have to pass right by the candy store! My focus went askew. I ‘needed’ more licorice at home. Not everyone favours licorice especially the delicious black licorice but that is their loss. Filled with candies of all sorts, I didn’t know where to start. I found several jars of licorice lining a shelf making it difficult to choose. My favourites are the cigars or pipes of soft black licorice with the little red candies at the end. The soft Australian black licorice is good too, but none were in the store.I did balance all that licorice with two bananas and some chocolate. A store clerk came to my rescue. Describing those favourites of mine she asked if any were sweet or salty. Salty? Never tried it. So she showed me: right there in front of me were these little bags of a mix of different licorices - sweet and salty. I’m willing to be brave!

“What she did have were Bertie Bott’s 

Every Flavour Beans, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, 

Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties,Cauldron Cakes, 

Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange 

things Harry had never seen in his life.”

~ J.K.Rowling

Brave Enough - 2

At Victoria, B.C. Cenotaph Nov 11, 2015

I’m not brave enough

to leave my family

never knowing if I’d return

I’m not brave enough

to march into the unknown

and keep marching forward

I’m not brave enough

to join with the fight ~

to give away my blood

        ~~~~~

I am brave enough 

to accept the freedom 

to write these words

I am brave enough 

to be grateful for

each and every day. 

I am brave enough

to maintain peace

in my heart and in my home

“He who is brave is free.”

~ Seneca

A Rose for Autumn

one tiny brave rose denies

late summer dryness 

to open into the sun.

“What a lovely thing a rose is!”

~ Arthur Conan Doyle

Brave Enough ~ 1

I sat in the shade of ancestors

protected from

 errant winds

   burning sun

     slashing rain

       biting snow

Until

Brave enough to step into

the present with

  belief

    hope

      gratitude

        humility.

“It is hard to be brave, when you’re only a Very Small Animal.”

~ A.A.Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

In Their Midst

Ubiquitous dandelions!

ground cracked or sodden,

temperatures soaring or chilled

(not a winter chill!)

in parks and lawns,

back alleys and roadsides ~

beside this sidewalk

one magenta tulip buds 

valiantly in their midst.

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”

~ Henri Matisse

Old Dreams Fly

Greater things can blossom 

when we dare to be brave

letting old dreams fly

like leaves in the wind

space and breath open wide ~

greater things can blossom.

“The old dreams were good dreams; 

they didn’t work out but I’m glad I had them.”

~ Robert James Waller, The Bridges of Madison County

The Stairs

My dreams and ideas

Fall

Down the stairs

Slip down the walls

Tip out of my mind

Like tea spilling from my cup

Soaking into the carpet

And when my feet land

on the solid downstairs

I wash the teacup and put it away.

Possibilities hang in the air.

“you can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”

~ Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Authors note: This poem was inspired by a question I’ve entertained for many years. Why do wonderful, exciting ideas and dreams slip so easily away from me? When ordinary life must be attended to, the energy behind the dreams vanishes. Dreams, ideas to reality. The bravery is in believing in possibility and acting on one tiny plan at a time. Even for the tiniest or grandest goal.

Life’s a Trip!

Training wheels for a while 

until time to be brave, 

maybe a wee bit foolhardy, 

then to push life’s pedals ~ 

no matter cracks 

in the sidewalk.

“If you wait until you’re really sure, 

you’ll never take off the training wheels.”

~ Cynthia Lewis, author