Category Archives: Courage

Goes Away

Contemplating cause and effect…

   Goes Away

Every day dogs bark
And the post man goes away
Is the Why so stark?

   -gl-

From   –   Short Thoughts: A Book of Haiku   (aWIP)

To Begin Again

Perspective and the quest…

Excerpted from   –   To Begin Again

…Many months Robert sailed among the isles and wandered the highlands
Questing for support
Among peoples of a land accustomed to only their own chieftains

But it was a warrior’s king
That was asking and not some prim dandy for a far off royal court
And so it was highlanders would do this thing…

   -gl-

From   –   Robert the Bruce: A Warrior’s King

Off Target

Contemplating the fight…

   Off Target

Everybody worries about the head
And while it’s true most knockouts
Come from blows leaving no doubt
That hitting the brain puts one to bed

But has to be right
And the shades of over refined
Leave much room for drifting away off target

Underneath it all what most fighters forget
How quickly moments define
Who will see the light

Ribs or the liver instead
Of glorious head shots lead to rout
If the body won’t work there’s no need for clout
Shutting down in dread

   -gl-

From   –   A Warrior’s Battles: Poems of Struggle   –   (AWIP)

A Personal Challenge

Doing what should be done, or not, or must…

Excerpted from   –   A Personal Challenge

…As a general Robert should have turned
But this king and this man could not refuse to fight at this Bannock Burn

The eyes of all his fellow Scots looked to him
As their king and champion

Whatever his reasons Robert spurred his horse and moved to meet the foe
Quiet, as all waited to see how the fight would go…

   -gl-

From   –   Robert the Bruce: A Warrior’s King

Feeling the Fears

For the women in my life that keep on…

   Feeling the Fears

She wonders how she can go on
Fighting all the little demons

In her body
Wasn’t ready

For this awful test of courage
The fatigue and pain discourage

Mighty spirits
Grown to fear it

But courage’s not feeling no fears
It’s going on despite the tears

That cloud the eye
Wiping them dry

She picks herself up and strides forth
Not knowing how, only of course

For the loved ones
She can’t be done

So she stands yet another day
And will yet again come what may

Until she mends
Or til the end

   -gl-

From   –   A Warrior’s Tears: Poems of Pain   (aWIP)

Seven Was Enough

Contemplating struggle…

Excerpted from   –   Seven Was Enough

In legend, Robert lay restless in a cave
Taken with grief
At the horrors beyond belief
He’d brought to family and friends that led to their graves

He pondered giving it up
Of sailing off to the holy land
But at that moment espied a spider

Struggling to reach the wall while he lay there
Six times it was that it failed…

   -gl-

From   –   Robert the Bruce: A Warrior’s King

Now But A Slender Strand

Decisions and responsibility…

Excerpted from   –   Now But a Slender Strand

…Back was their lone hope

That he might make time for the escape of his injured
On the trail that was now but a slender strand
The pursuing band
Was by the Bruce’s own blade deterred

   -gl-

From   –   Robert the Bruce: A Warrior’s King

Her Courage

Contemplating family and the circle of life…

   Her Courage

A rite of passage
For both children and parents
One of the ways we feel the passing currents
Of time and of generations these moments presage

Growing up
So she’s out the door
Down the road on a mission

And we reach out to our friends seeking their commission
All this becomes ancient lore
Hoping it’s enough

And she gets the message
Without undergoing overmuch torment
Or maybe she’ll have fun peddling the Girl Scout cookies but either way parents
Proud of her courage

   -gl-

Raw Courage

Contemplating the nature of heroism…

   Raw Courage

A dog growls at me
I marvel at raw courage
And those pointed teeth

   -gl-

From   –   A Warrior’s Love: A Book of Love Poems

Few Got Away

Victory, glory, and defeat…

Excerpted from   –   Few Got Away

The Scots under Wallace
Were spotted in the wood near Falkirk awaiting the English
Edward was trampled by his horse but despite two broken ribs
Mounted this same steed ready to see who would live

The Scots arrayed themselves on the slope
Prepared to meet the foe
English cavalry overran the Scots archers
Then history turned on astonishing departures

Edward’s cavalry charged…

   -gl-

From   –   Robert the Bruce: A Warrior’s King