I looked for courage on the mountain top, its peak clearly defined, bold and triumphant
She lowered my gaze down, down to the valley
To the hidden roots beneath the uneven ground
Right down within the tough, muddy earth as I stepped on in uncertainty
I am here, she whispered, I am here.
I looked for courage in the headlines
The visible platforms and acclaimed places, the famed places
She ushered me back to the unfinished spaces, away from the noise and the certainty.
I’m not in the credits or the limelight,
I am here, she whispered, I am here.
I looked for courage at the medal ceremony, where the awards were being generously announced
She took my eyes away from the honours list and the finished products
To the ordinary moments of prolonged plodding, quiet trial, discomfort and monotony
I am here, she whispered, I am here.
I looked for courage in the figure heads, the influencers, those with fame and power,
She adjusted the lense of my vision from distant to so very near;
To my neighbourhood, my household, my closest relationships.
The quiet community connections grown slowly and gently.
I am her, she whispered, I am here.
I looked for courage among the certain things and the future ‘big things’ and the fearless things,
She held my uncertain being in this moment, my feet newly aware of the ground beneath them as I stood in the dark.
I am already here, she whispered, I am within, I am deep beneath the layers of trying-to-be, I am rooted in your values, your heart’s conviction, your stirrings and longings, the sacred space of your unsteady steps.
I am here.
This was the last poem I published on Substack coincidentally!…
YES to "I am already here, she whispered, I am within, I am deep beneath the layers of trying-to-be, I am rooted in your values, your heart’s conviction, your stirrings and longings, the sacred space of your unsteady steps." Yes, She is right here! Always right here!
Yes to that and also maybe a sense of separation. I ponder at times if we as a collective have taken individuation too far. To the point that we have created a persona that feels superior to the rest of life. Thus objectification. Bringing me back to being thankful for the sweet whispers of Her.
Oooh yes, separation. That’s a more apt word that invisibility. And it takes into account a feeling of separation from ourselves too - love that, thank you x
This is beautiful and so full of compassion and hope. I love the flow of each line, and the soothing nature of your poem, prayer-like and much more, too. I love and appreciate these lines:
"She ushered me back to the unfinished spaces, away from the noise and the certainty.
I’m not in the credits or the limelight,
I am here, she whispered, I am here."
The way you show the heart as being not only in the places of acclaim, triumph and "greatness" but there in the quiet whispers is deeply moving. Thank you Ange.
C O U R A G E
I looked for courage on the mountain top, its peak clearly defined, bold and triumphant
She lowered my gaze down, down to the valley
To the hidden roots beneath the uneven ground
Right down within the tough, muddy earth as I stepped on in uncertainty
I am here, she whispered, I am here.
I looked for courage in the headlines
The visible platforms and acclaimed places, the famed places
She ushered me back to the unfinished spaces, away from the noise and the certainty.
I’m not in the credits or the limelight,
I am here, she whispered, I am here.
I looked for courage at the medal ceremony, where the awards were being generously announced
She took my eyes away from the honours list and the finished products
To the ordinary moments of prolonged plodding, quiet trial, discomfort and monotony
I am here, she whispered, I am here.
I looked for courage in the figure heads, the influencers, those with fame and power,
She adjusted the lense of my vision from distant to so very near;
To my neighbourhood, my household, my closest relationships.
The quiet community connections grown slowly and gently.
I am her, she whispered, I am here.
I looked for courage among the certain things and the future ‘big things’ and the fearless things,
She held my uncertain being in this moment, my feet newly aware of the ground beneath them as I stood in the dark.
I am already here, she whispered, I am within, I am deep beneath the layers of trying-to-be, I am rooted in your values, your heart’s conviction, your stirrings and longings, the sacred space of your unsteady steps.
I am here.
This was the last poem I published on Substack coincidentally!…
https://open.substack.com/pub/angedisbury/p/courage?r=2qii2&utm_medium=ios
YES to "I am already here, she whispered, I am within, I am deep beneath the layers of trying-to-be, I am rooted in your values, your heart’s conviction, your stirrings and longings, the sacred space of your unsteady steps." Yes, She is right here! Always right here!
Yes 💛. I wonder if the biggest threat to courage isn’t fear but the feeling of invisibility?…
Yes to that and also maybe a sense of separation. I ponder at times if we as a collective have taken individuation too far. To the point that we have created a persona that feels superior to the rest of life. Thus objectification. Bringing me back to being thankful for the sweet whispers of Her.
Oooh yes, separation. That’s a more apt word that invisibility. And it takes into account a feeling of separation from ourselves too - love that, thank you x
Beautiful! All the places we look and we had it the whole time! Like the cowardly Lion?!
This is beautiful and so full of compassion and hope. I love the flow of each line, and the soothing nature of your poem, prayer-like and much more, too. I love and appreciate these lines:
"She ushered me back to the unfinished spaces, away from the noise and the certainty.
I’m not in the credits or the limelight,
I am here, she whispered, I am here."
The way you show the heart as being not only in the places of acclaim, triumph and "greatness" but there in the quiet whispers is deeply moving. Thank you Ange.
What a lovely comment. Thank you Larry 🙏
My pleasure, Ange. Thank you!