bravery.

it often starts tentatively

furtively

fearfully even 

at first, a small step

a foot crossing a line

a tiny candle in a gathering

a shout in a chorus

a little fist in a crowd

an arm not raised in salute

a question asked of an emperor

but then soon

this little defiance

this rebellion too insignificant to be quelled

feeds itself

feeds itself with itself

growing not diminishing with each chew

a chomp of courage

a mouthful of mettle

a feast of guts, if you will

all going down audaciously

without a fight, even

till what was once a whisper

finds it voice

and when it speaks it doesn’t

it roars

bravery

a bit of it, bit by bit

becomes habit

(like the adage goes)

but bravery goes beyond clichés

till habit becomes instinct

instinct becomes purpose

and if there’s a lesson to bravery

it is this

bravery cannot be unlearnt

(like learning a bully’s stick hurts only so much

and no more)

and that once you’re truly, really, fully brave

you’ll be brave forever

the Gods know this

verily, it is not that they are silent

they are merely holding their breath

watching rapt

to see you take that first, small step

go cross that line.

ram cobain 

(Image courtesy Getty)